Nilus of Sinai

Life A native of Constantinople, Nilus was a layman, married, with two children. As a relatively young man, he was appointed eparch of the city. He was a disciple of the patriarch, John Chrysostom (before his first exile: 398–403). He directed Nilus in the study of Scripture and in works of piety.

Nilus and his son were at Sinai until about the year 410 when Saracen raiders captured Theodulos and took him prisoner. They eventually sold him as a slave, and he came into the possession of the Bishop of Elusa in Palestine. The Bishop received Theodulos among his clergy and made him door-keeper of the church. Meanwhile, Nilus, having left to find his son, at last met him at Elusa. The bishop then ordained them both priests and allowed them to return to Sinai. For forty years a cave served as their dwelling. Nilus was a well known person throughout the Eastern Church; through his writings and correspondence he played an important part in the history of his time. He was known as a theologian, Biblical scholar and ascetic writer, and people of all kinds, from the emperor down, sought his counsel. or 451. His remains were brought to Constantinople in the reign of Justin the Younger, and deposited in the church of the apostles there. His works can be classified into four types:

Works about virtues and vices in general:"Of the vice opposed to virtues "On the word of the Gospel of Luke". In his treatise "On Prayer", he recommends one ask of God, in the first place, the gift of prayer. "Works about the monastic life": — Concerning the slaughter of monks on Mount Sinai, in seven parts, telling the story of the author's life at Sinai, the invasion of the Saracens, captivity of his son, etc.; Concerning Albianos, a Nitrian monk whose life is held up as an example; "Of Asceticism" (Logos asketikos, about the monastic ideal; "Of voluntary poverty" (peri aktemosynes; "Of the superiority of monks"; "To Eulogios the monk". "Admonitions" (Gnomai) or "Chapters" (kephalaia), about 200 precepts drawn up in short maxims (ib., 1239–62). These are probably made by his disciples from his discourses. "Letters": — Possinus published 355, Allatius 1061 letters, divided into four books (P. G., 79, 81-585). Many are not complete, several overlap, or are not really letters but excerpts from Nilus' works; some are spurious. Apocalyptic in nature, it has been variously interpreted depending on individual perspectives. With the advent of the Internet, the work has taken on the status of urban legend, widely wrongly imputed to Nilas of Sinai.