St. John was a seventh-century monk who was known as “the Scholar” until people referred to him after his famous written work, the Ladder (“Klimax”) of Divine Ascent.

Scholars believe he came from Palestine and was a student of St. Gergory Nazianzen. When John was 16, he joined a community of monks living on Mt. Sinai. He was placed under the direction of an older monk, who helped him master his desires and behavior.

When John was 35, his mentor died, and he went to live in a hermitage. He spent the next 40 years seeking perfection in solitude and prayer and study—it is said that he was one of the most learned of the desert fathers.

Many people sought him out for spiritual direction because of his wisdom. He had a gift for helping people find healing for their troubled and disordered souls.

Over time, he collected his insights into his work, the Ladder of Divine Ascent, which described 30 degrees towards attaining spiritual perfection—the first being renunciation and the last being full incorporation of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. The work had a profound effect on the development of Christian spirituality. The icon above depicts St. John leading monks up a ladder that leads to Jesus.

When John was 70, the abbot of a nearby monastery passed away, and John was selected to replace him. When a severe drought devastated the region, the people asked him to pray for relief, and rain came. John was so well-known at the time that Pope St. Gregory the Great wrote to him to ask for his prayers, and to send resources to assist the monastery in hosting the many pilgrims who traveled there to be in the presence of the holy man. John died in 649 of old age.

St. John Climacus, you sought perfection in the desert and left behind a profound guide to spirituality, pray for us!