Moses of Syria

Venerable Moses of Syria, a hermit, disciple of Venerable Polychronius, is commemorated with the Syrian hermits John, Antiochus, Antoninus, Moses, Zevinus, Polychronius and Damian, who reposed in peace in the fifth century, in Syria. The Azbyka page speaks of two Moseses: one who, following Saint John, settled on the summit of a mountain near the village of Rama, and another, the disciple of Polychronius.

Polychronius was the disciple of Venerable Zevinus and followed his elder's life, spending days and nights in fasting and vigil. 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 him lived his disciple Moses, who, imitating his elder in everything, also gave an example of severe ascetic life. The other disciple of Zevinus, Damian, withdrew to the monastery called Hiera and had in his cell only a small box of lentils. John, a disciple of Saint Limnius, had lived twenty-⁠five years on a hill open to the winds, on bread and salt and with heavy chains; Zevinus had reached great old age without sitting during his prayer rule. Moses is commemorated on 8 March, a movable day, with the other Syrian hermits.