Acacius of the Ladder

Saint Acacius of the Ladder, venerable, is commemorated on 26 November (new style, the Greek calendar). He is called the one in the Ladder because Saint John Climacus, commemorated on 30 March, speaks of him in the Ladder, in the discourse on obedience.

He lived in Asia Minor, at the Kellibara monastery on Mount Latros, and was distinguished for inexhaustible patience. He used to say: those who think I never get angry are mistaken; I do get angry, but against my two greatest enemies, one of whom is Satan, and the other I need not name to you, and he pointed at himself. His superior in the monastery was very harsh, but Acacius never said a word against him. The superior abused him and Acacius loved him, though it grieved him that the salvation of his superior was in danger because of his conduct. Acacius died young, with a patience that became proverbial and a living hope in God.

Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite writes in the Synaxarion that his body remained whole and incorrupt for many years. He tells that once in summer, when the monks had gone out to harvest, a sick brother died, and the one brother left in the monastery could not dig a grave and laid the dead man in the ready-⁠made tomb of Acacius, beside the saint. The next day he found the dead man cast out of the grave, and when he put him in again he found him cast out again. He then complained to the saint, who had been a model of obedience, and threatened to cast him out of the tomb himself. He put the dead brother in once more, and the next day he found the dead man lying there but could no longer find Acacius. Ever since, the tomb is seen empty and bears his name. His service was written by the learned teacher Christopher Prodromites.