Malchus

Venerable Malchus was a monk of Maronia, near Antioch, whose story is known to us from the Life of Malchus the Captive Monk, written by Blessed Jerome around 391-392. Jerome met him at his home in Maronia in Syria, when Malchus was still alive, with his wife. There is no other testimony about him besides Jerome's account.

According to Jerome, Malchus was the only child of a farming family living near Nisibis in the fourth century. When he reached manhood his parents wished him to marry, but he wished to become a monk. He left home and began monastic life in the desert of Chalcis. After several years as a monk, hearing of his father's death, he went home to obtain his inheritance, leaving the monastery against his will. He was sold into slavery and forced to marry another slave; without consummating the marriage, he escaped with her and returned to his monastery. He died around 390. He is commemorated on 26 March in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches and on 21 October in the Roman Martyrology (new style).