St THEODOSIUS-THE-CENOBIARCH
Chief Cenobiarch of a Palestinian monastery.
Impressed by the example of St SIMEON-STYLITES, he retreated to a mountain cave in Palestine, but wound up building a monastery for holy monks nearby.In case you're wondering where he got his title Cenobiarch — and whether it might be a suitably tempting career path — the word means 'Leader of a Cenobitical Society'.
These were like traditional monastries, but instead of hiding themselves away, the Cenobitical monks were free to socialize with the outside world, chat with passers-by and even nip into town for lunch.
That could explain how Theodosius's place became so popular. Somehow even in the desert it spread to include three infirmaries and four churches.
Our hero was then banished from his own domain by a heretical emperor who died soon after, so our Saint soon returned to his old haunts and was eventually buried in his cave.
Incidentally, the word 'Cenobiarch' also pops up in Terry Pratchett's Discworld. It refers to somebody in charge of something-or-other. Clearly this is an amazing coincidence.
Authors: Peter J Allen and Chas Saunders
References: Coming soon.
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Godchecker's article on St Theodosius-the-cenobiarch is based on material from ancient texts, original references and our own research. We strive for accuracy and update regularly with new information. If you spot a mistake please contact us and we'll try to fix it.
Location : Worldwide Christianity
Gender : Male
Type : Saint or Sage
Celebration or Feast Day : Unknown at present
Birth and Death Dates : 423-529
Pronunciation : Coming soon
Alternative names : None known
Popularity index : 140
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