The Venerable Sisoes the Great, of Egypt (429)
Sisoes was an Egyptian by birth and a disciple of St. Anthony the Great. Following the death of his great teacher, St. Sisoes settled on a desert mountain called Anthony’s, where St. Anthony had earlier lived in asceticism. By imposing on himself difficult labors, he tamed himself to such an extent that he became meek and guileless as a lamb. Therefore God endowed Sisoes with abundant grace—so that he was able to heal the sick, drive out unclean spirits, and resurrect the dead. For sixty years Sisoes lived in asceticism in the wilderness, and he was a source of living wisdom for all the monks and laymen who came to him for counsel. Just before his repose his face shone as the sun. The monks stood around him and they were astonished at this manifestation. And when the saint gave up his soul, the entire room was filled with a sweet-smelling fragrance. Sisoes reposed in extreme old age, in the year 429. St. Sisoes taught the monks: “Whatever way temptation comes to man, a man should give himself over to the will of God, and recognize that the temptation came because of his sins. If something good happens, it should be said that it happened according to God’s providence.” One monk asked Sisoes: “How can I please God and be saved?” The saint answered: “If you wish to please God, withdraw from the world, separate yourself from the earth, put aside creation, draw near to the Creator, and unite yourself to God with prayers and tears—then you will find rest in this age and in the age to come.” A monk also asked Sisoes: “How can I attain humility?” The saint replied: “When someone learns to acknowledge every man as being better than himself, then he has attained humility.” Ammon complained to Sisoes that he could not memorize the wise sayings that he read, in order to be able to repeat them in conversation with men. The saint replied to him: “That is not necessary. It is necessary to attain purity of mind and to speak from that purity, placing your hope in God.”
