Venerable Nilus the Faster, of Sinai

Nilus was born in Constantinople into a distinguished family, was well educated and became prefect of the city. He married and had a son, Theodulus, and a daughter. Troubled by the vices of the court, he left public life, and, according to his Life, settled on Mount Sinai, where he lived in a cave for forty years and gave advice to many visitors.

He wrote to the emperor Arcadius to rebuke him for exiling John Chrysostom. When raiders attacked the hermits of Sinai, killing some and carrying off Theodulus, the bishop of Emesa ransomed the young man and made him a clergyman; Nilus came to Emesa to find him and was ordained priest there against his wishes. He died in the 5th century.