Luke of Steiris
Encyclopedia
Luke of Steiris was a Byzantine
saint
of the tenth century AD who lived in the themes (provinces) of Hellas
and Peloponnese
in Greece. His relics are preserved in his monastery
of Hosios Loukas
. The principal source for Luke's life is an anonymous Life
written by a monk of Hosios Loukas who had been one of Luke's followers. His feast day is commemorated on February 7
, and the translation of his relics on May 3
.
, but was captured by soldiers lying in wait for escaped slaves
and was returned home. The second time he had more success, meeting two monks journeying
from Rome to Jerusalem
who took him to a monastery in Athens where he received the small habit. After Luke's mother prayed for her son's return however, god made her appear in a dream to the abbot
and commanded him to return Luke to his home.
At the age of 14 Luke finally left home for good to dwell near Mount Ionnitza for 7 years and live as an ascetic. The Life records with suspicious symmetry that during this time Luke received the great habit from two monks travelling from Jerusalem to Rome (presumably the same two from whom he had received the small habit on their outward journey). Luke's fame spread and a number of miracles are ascribed to him during this period, such as revealing to two brothers the location of their dead father's buried treasure. Numerous proofs of Luke's holiness are also given, such as sleeping in a trench to remind himself of death, or being visited in dream by an angel who let a hook down Luke's mouth and 'drew out a certain fleshly member therefrom', freeing him from the temptations of the flesh.
Luke was forced to leave Iannitze by an invasion of the Bulgarian
emperor Symeon
(which Luke had predicted). Luke, followed by the local villagers, fled to a nearby island, almost perishing when attacked by Bulgarians in a stolen ship. After the invaders withdrew, Luke, now aged 21, enrolled in a school in Corinth
, but soon left after he found the other students insufficiently serious. Instead, he went to serve a stylite at Zemena for the next ten years, until he was stranded in the Peloponnese on an errand when the harbour master refused to allow him to return to Hellas, fearing raids (whether Bulgarian or Arabic is not mentioned). When Luke was ejected from his oratory in the Peloponnese after a rainstorm, his hagiographer comments that 'God perhaps arranged these things beneficially, lest dwelling too long in the land of Pelops
he do an injustice to his fatherland', perhaps indicating a rival cult of the saint in the Peloponnese and providing an interesting example of patriotism towards the theme.
The Life also cites Symeon's death in 927 and the succession of his more pacific son Peter
as a reason why Luke returned to Ionnitze to build his own community. Luke drew so many followers that he found the distractions unbearable and decided to retreat further into the wilderness. Three years later, however, Luke was displaced again, this time by a Magyar
invasion. Just as before, Luke retreated with the local villagers to a nearby island. Once there, Luke found the desert island to be a suitable place to pursue his solitary ascetic life, and stayed for three years, enduring terrible thirsts.
Eventually Luke's companions persuaded him to leave, and he settled for the remainder of his life in the far more amenable environment of the present Hosios Loukas.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the tenth century AD who lived in the themes (provinces) of Hellas
Hellas (theme)
The Theme of Hellas was a Byzantine military-civilian province located in southern Greece. The theme encompassed parts of Central Greece, Thessaly and, until circa 800, the Peloponnese...
and Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
in Greece. His relics are preserved in his monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Hosios Loukas
Hosios Loukas
Hosios Loukas is an historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion.-...
. The principal source for Luke's life is an anonymous Life
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
written by a monk of Hosios Loukas who had been one of Luke's followers. His feast day is commemorated on February 7
February 7 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Feb. 6 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - Feb. 8-Fixed commemorations:All fixed commemorations below are observed on February 20 by Old Calendarists.-Saints:*Saint Parthenius of Lampsacus, bishop *Venerable Luke of Hellas...
, and the translation of his relics on May 3
May 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
May 2 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 4All fixed commemorations below celebrated on May 16 by Old Calendarists-Saints:* Saint Alexander I, the fifth Pope of Rome * Martyrs Alexander, Eventius and Theodulus...
.
Life
The Life, typically for the genre, begins with signs of Luke's closeness to god as a child. For instance, Luke is recorded as having done 'nothing in a childish fashion', and is seen to be literally close to god when his mother witnesses him levitating in prayer. As a child Luke tried twice to leave home to seek a solitary life of prayer. The first time, he attempted to withdraw to ThessalyThessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, but was captured by soldiers lying in wait for escaped slaves
Slavery in medieval Europe
Slavery in early medieval Europe was relatively common. It was widespread at the end of antiquity. The etymology of the word slave comes from this period, the word sklabos meaning Slav. Slavery declined in the Middle Ages in most parts of Europe as serfdom slowly rose, but it never completely...
and was returned home. The second time he had more success, meeting two monks journeying
Christian pilgrimage
Christian pilgrimage was first made to sites connected with the ministry of Jesus. Surviving descriptions of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Jerusalem date from the 4th century, when pilgrimage was encouraged by church fathers like Saint Jerome and established by Helena, the mother of...
from Rome to Jerusalem
History of Jerusalem (Middle Ages)
The history of the city of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages takes it from the 10th century when it was under the rule of the Fatimid caliphate, to the Crusades and shifts in control brought by the Europeans, until the city was re-taken by the Khawarazmi Turks in 1244. The city then stayed under Muslim...
who took him to a monastery in Athens where he received the small habit. After Luke's mother prayed for her son's return however, god made her appear in a dream to the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
and commanded him to return Luke to his home.
At the age of 14 Luke finally left home for good to dwell near Mount Ionnitza for 7 years and live as an ascetic. The Life records with suspicious symmetry that during this time Luke received the great habit from two monks travelling from Jerusalem to Rome (presumably the same two from whom he had received the small habit on their outward journey). Luke's fame spread and a number of miracles are ascribed to him during this period, such as revealing to two brothers the location of their dead father's buried treasure. Numerous proofs of Luke's holiness are also given, such as sleeping in a trench to remind himself of death, or being visited in dream by an angel who let a hook down Luke's mouth and 'drew out a certain fleshly member therefrom', freeing him from the temptations of the flesh.
Luke was forced to leave Iannitze by an invasion of the Bulgarian
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
emperor Symeon
Simeon I of Bulgaria
Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...
(which Luke had predicted). Luke, followed by the local villagers, fled to a nearby island, almost perishing when attacked by Bulgarians in a stolen ship. After the invaders withdrew, Luke, now aged 21, enrolled in a school in Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, but soon left after he found the other students insufficiently serious. Instead, he went to serve a stylite at Zemena for the next ten years, until he was stranded in the Peloponnese on an errand when the harbour master refused to allow him to return to Hellas, fearing raids (whether Bulgarian or Arabic is not mentioned). When Luke was ejected from his oratory in the Peloponnese after a rainstorm, his hagiographer comments that 'God perhaps arranged these things beneficially, lest dwelling too long in the land of Pelops
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
he do an injustice to his fatherland', perhaps indicating a rival cult of the saint in the Peloponnese and providing an interesting example of patriotism towards the theme.
The Life also cites Symeon's death in 927 and the succession of his more pacific son Peter
Peter I of Bulgaria
Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
as a reason why Luke returned to Ionnitze to build his own community. Luke drew so many followers that he found the distractions unbearable and decided to retreat further into the wilderness. Three years later, however, Luke was displaced again, this time by a Magyar
Magyar
Magyar may refer to:* A nation and an ethnic group native to and primarily associated with Hungarian people* The Hungarian language,...
invasion. Just as before, Luke retreated with the local villagers to a nearby island. Once there, Luke found the desert island to be a suitable place to pursue his solitary ascetic life, and stayed for three years, enduring terrible thirsts.
Eventually Luke's companions persuaded him to leave, and he settled for the remainder of his life in the far more amenable environment of the present Hosios Loukas.
See also
- Mystical levitation in Christianity
- Saints and levitationSaints and levitationThere are numerous saints to whom the ability to fly or levitate has been attributed. Most of these "flying saints" are mentioned as such in literature and sources associated with them....
Sources
- The Life and Miracles of St. Luke of Steiris, translated by C.L. & W.R. Connor. Brookline, MA, 1994.