Saint Sabbas of Mar Saba

Biography

Saint Sabbas of Mar Saba, also known as Sabbas the Sanctified, Sabbas the Great, Sabas, or Sava, was born in 439 in Motalala, Cappadocia. He was a spiritual student of Saint Euthymius the Great at the age of 20 and quickly developed a deep devotion to the Christian faith. At the age of 30, Sabbas became an anchorite, living in a cave and dedicating himself to prayer and manual labor. As a testament to his asceticism and determination, he wove ten willow baskets each day. On Saturdays, he would take these baskets to the local monastery, accompanied by Saint Euthymius, and exchange them for a week's worth of food and willow wands to make more baskets. When Saint Euthymius passed away, Sabbas took over leadership of the monks. Alongside Saint Theodosius, he became co-superior over 1,000 monks and hermits in the region. Despite his lack of formal education, Sabbas possessed a profound belief in the spiritual benefits of simple living. However, the combination of his limited education and rigorous lifestyle led to some resentment among the monks. Tired of the infighting and longing for solitude in prayer, Sabbas decided to flee to TransJordania. It was there that he found a cave already occupied by a lion. Miraculously, the lion left and found a new home, allowing Sabbas to claim the cave for himself. Word of this event reached the rebellious monks, but in a distorted form. They reported to the patriarch that Sabbas had been killed by a lion and requested the appointment of a new leader. As this information was brought before the patriarch, Sabbas unexpectedly entered the room, alive and well. This confrontation led to an airing of grievances from the monks, but the patriarch ultimately sided with Sabbas, thus restoring order and discipline among the anchorites. Sabbas also played a significant role in defending the persecuted bishops of Palestinian origin during the reign of Emperor Anastasius I. Leading a peaceful uprising of 10,000 monks, he demanded an end to the mistreatment of these bishops. In his later years, at the age of 90, Sabbas traveled to Constantinople. His purpose was to plead for clemency from Emperor Justinian on behalf of the Samaritans who were currently in revolt. Sabbas successfully convinced Justinian to show mercy. Saint Sabbas of Mar Saba died peacefully in 532 of natural causes. His relics were enshrined in Venice, Italy. While he does not have an officially designated patronage, Saint Sabbas remains an inspiration for his dedication to a simple and devout life. Saint Sabbas is often represented in art as a man holding the rule of his monastery in his hand, symbolizing his leadership and adherence to monastic discipline. Another depiction shows him seated at the edge of a cliff, symbolizing his contemplative life on the edge of the world. Finally, he is often portrayed praying in a cave with a lion nearby, representing the miraculous encounter he had during his time as an anchorite. Saint Sabbas of Mar Saba was canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church, although his canonization took place prior to the formal establishment of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. His feast day is celebrated on December 5th.