Память преподобного Равулы

Saint Ravula was born in the city of Samosata 1484. He received his education under the guidance of one famous learned man named Varipsava, who was fluent in the Syriac language. From a young age, leading a virtuous life, the monk, upon reaching adulthood, accepted monasticism and chose extraordinary feats for himself. Like the holy prophet Elijah, he lived alone in the mountains and caves and in his lifestyle imitated St. John the Baptist. After some time, the monk, together with another monk, went to Phenicia in 1485 and, laboring here, attracted attention to himself with his high virtues, so that soon, despite his desire, he became known to everyone. Having received a monetary allowance from Emperor Zeno in 1486, he, with the assistance of Bishop John of Berita in 1487, built an extensive monastery in one place among the mountains and populated it with monks. In the vicinity of the monastery lived many inveterate pagans. The Monk Ravula and the monks who labored with him in the monastery, imitating the holy Apostles Paul and Barnabas, as well as Peter and John, began either to expose their errors, often entering into disputes with them, or to teach them instruction in the faith, and soon led them all to the knowledge of the true God. This was the first glorious act of the monk. After the death of Emperor Zeno, Emperor Anastasius took control of the empire in 1488. The Monk Ravoula went to Constantinople and with his efforts achieved that the emperor provided him with a new monetary allowance, which he used to build a second monastery. Subsequently, he built many other monasteries in different places. Saint Ravula was always diligent in every good deed, meek, merciful, philanthropic, never indulged in anger, always remained in prayer and treated everyone favorably. And when the devil, arousing passions in him, entered into a struggle with him, then, perfectly knowing and understanding the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, he contrasted with him both the word of God and deeds of piety, and thereby drove away the enemy from himself. The monk lived until the reign of Justinian the Great in 1489, who built the famous Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople in 1490. Having reached the age of eighty, he one day heard a voice from heaven saying to him: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), after which, having been a little ill, he departed to the Lord 1491. The city of Samosata was located in Syria and was located on the right, western bank of the Euphrates River, in its upper reaches. Phenicia was located north of Palestine and lay between the Mediterranean Sea and the Lebanese Mountains. Zeno reigned with short intervals from 474 to 491. During his reign, there was a struggle between the Orthodox and the Monophysite heretics, and he took an active part in this struggle, trying to give predominance and triumph to the representatives of the Orthodox teachings of the church. Berit, now Beirut, was a coastal city of Phenicia and located near the mouth of the Magora River. Emperor Anastasius ruled the empire from 491 to 518. Justinian succeeded Justin in 527 and reigned until 565. The main great cathedral of Constantinople in the name of Sophia - the Wisdom of God, which was originally created by Constantine the Great. Under Emperor Justinian it was magnificently renewed and expanded in 537. In 1453, during the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, it was converted into a mosque. Justinian's Church of St. Sofia remains to this day a most remarkable, majestic monument of Christian architecture of the Byzantine style, the most flourishing era of its development. Saint Ravoula died around 530. You might be interested in: