St. Daniel the Stylite is a famous monastic figure who is honored by both Eastern and Western Christian churches.

Daniel was born around 409 in the north of what is now modern-day Iraq. Daniel entered a nearby monastery at the age of twelve and lived in this same monastery until he was thirty-eight. During a voyage that Daniel made with his abbot to Antioch, he passed by the pillar where the famous St. Simeon the Stylite lived.

A stylite was a monk who offered his life by forsaking the world quite literally by forsaking earth and climbing on top of a pillar where he would live for the rest of his life.

With his abbot, Daniel visited many convents and holy sites. Daniel finally retired in 451 A.D. into the ruins of a pagan temple and established his own pillar north of Constantinople.

Daniel had not consulted the owner of the land where he placed his pillar. Thus, the land’s rightful owner appealed to both the emperor and patriarch to dislodge Daniel. Neither budged to displace the Stylite, thus practically coining the phrase: ask forgiveness, not permission.

In fact, the patriarch Gennadius, instead of ousting Daniel, ordained him as a priest, administering the Eucharist to Daniel and receiving the Eucharist from the newly ordained priest by the means of a ladder.

Daniel lived on the pillar for thirty-three years. Due to continuous standing, his feet were reportedly covered with sores, cuts, and ulcers, and the winds of Thrace sometimes completely stripped him of his scanty monastic clothing. Despite having no parlor, Daniel received many impressive visitors, among them the emperors Leo I and Zeno. Even from the top of his pillar, he engaged in theological debate and took a strong stance against Monophysitism.

Daniel quickly became a pious tourist attraction for the people. From his pillar, Daniel celebrated the Eucharist, preached sermons, dispensed spiritual advice, and cured the sick who were brought up to him. Daniel finally died at the ripe old age of eighty-four in the year 493.

St. Daniel the Stylite, who lived with evangelical poverty, simplicity, and boldness—pray for us!