Moses of Syria

Venerable Moses of Syria, a hermit, is counted among the venerable Syrian hermits John, Antiochus, Antoninus, Moses, Zevinus, Polychronius, another Moses and Damian, who reposed in peace in the fifth century, in Syria. John, a disciple of Saint Limnius, lived the ascetic life in Syria, choosing the struggle of "life without shelter". He settled on a hill open to all the winds and lived there twenty-⁠five years, eating only bread and salt and wearing out his body with heavy chains. When a visitor planted an almond tree on the hill so that the saint might shelter in its shade from the heat, John ordered it cut down, so as to give his body no rest.

Venerable Moses, following Saint John, settled on the summit of a mountain near the village of Rama. In the same way Venerable Antiochus and Antoninus struggled until deep old age, giving an example of spiritual strength that overcomes every infirmity. Venerable Zevinus, who struggled on the same mountain, reached great old age, but never sat during his prayer rule, leaning only at times on a staff. The people round about honoured him and received by his prayers great help in their troubles. Saint Polychronius, Zevinus's disciple, followed his elder's life, spending days and nights in fasting and vigil. He had no chains, but at prayer he laid on his shoulders a heavy oak root which he had dug from the ground himself. By his prayer he obtained rain from God in time of drought and filled a stone vessel with oil for those in need. With Polychronius lived his disciple, Venerable Moses, who, imitating his elder in everything, also gave an example of a severe ascetic life. Another disciple, Damian, withdrew to the monastery called Hiera and lived there with only a small box of lentils in his cell, on which he fed. The page gives no other details about this Moses. He is commemorated on 8 March, a movable day.