Feast of Saint John Climacus – March 30

We know almost nothing of the origins and life of Saint John Climacus, meaning “of the Ladder”. He entered the monastery at a very young age and lived for many years as an ascetic hermit. When he was an old man, the monks persuaded him to become the superior of the monastery and to write a book on the Christian life.

His book, “The Ladder of Divine Ascent”, is divided into thirty chapters, corresponding to the 30 years of the life of Jesus. Each chapter is a rung in a ladder that stretches up to heaven.

In the Byzantine tradition, the fourth Sunday in Lent is dedicated to the Saint’s memory.

See here for the 30 steps on the ladder

See here for some excerpts from the book