Arsenius of Latros

Venerable Arsenius of Latros (Arsenius the Ascetic) was, in the tenth and eleventh centuries, a Byzantine officer who became a monk after an unlucky incident in his military career. He lived the ascetic life on Mount Latros in Asia Minor (today the Besparmak mountains) and died at the Monastery of Kellibara. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 13 December.

Arsenius came of an aristocratic and wealthy family of Constantinople and followed from his youth the career of arms. At first he was a patrician, then general and commander of the theme of the Kibyrrhaiotai. While he was commanding his fleet, he met with it a violent storm at sea, in which the whole fleet was destroyed and only he survived. Then Arsenius resolved to become a monk.

First he became a monk in an unknown place, then moved to Mount Latros and finally to the Kellibara Monastery, where he also died. As an ascetic he wore heavy chains. He endured cold in winter and heat in summer, often wept and kept vigil. He lived at the Kellibara Monastery, where after a short time he became hegumen. After a while he withdrew from the monastery into a cave full of wild beasts. There he laboured in prayerful solitude and stillness among the beasts. By his prayer he drove all the beasts away from there. He made the cave a place of prayer. Monks gathered around him, whom he drew and guided on the way of salvation by his holy life and wise teachings. Six days of the week he lived shut in his narrow cell, spoke to no one and took no food, and on Sunday he taught the brotherhood and ate.

His Life says that, after he had worked many other miracles, the blessed Arsenius reposed in peace in the midst of the brethren.