Gregory of Crete

Venerable Gregory of Crete was a monk and ascetic of Cretan origin, born around 754 and dead around 820. The Church commemorates him on 5 January by the old calendar, which is 18 January by the new.

His parents, Theophanes and Juliana, were pious Christians. After he had studied for a time, his parents sent him to tend sheep. One day Gregory left home and reached Seleucia, where he lived briefly, eating only bread and water. When he was twenty-⁠six the Byzantine emperor Leo IV the Khazar, who had supported the enemies of the icons, died, and Christianity gained freedom. Then Gregory went to Jerusalem to visit all the holy places of the Christians. He stayed there twelve years.

From Jerusalem he went to Rome, where he received the monastic tonsure. After some time spent there, Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople sent Michael Synadon, the confessor, to the pope. He took Gregory with him and brought him to a monastery in the place called Akrita, near Chalcedon, where he left him. Gregory lived there barefoot, wearing on his body only one long shirt. He slept on a mat and ate and drank bread and water once every two or three days. Then he shut himself in a very deep pit, where he spent many years.

When he came out of the pit he shut himself in a cell, clothed in skin. Near his cell stood a large barrel full of water. At night he went there, took off his skin, entered the barrel and read the whole Psalter in it. He did so every night to the end of his life.