Pyrrhus

Holy Venerable Pyrrhus, also called Pyrrhus of Breti, is one of the thirteen Syrian (Cappadocian) Fathers who founded Georgian monasticism. He was a disciple of St John of Zedazeni and founded a monastery at Breti.

Venerable John of Zedazeni, the head of the group, was trained in the spiritual life at Antioch; where he was born is not known. In youth he took the monastic habit and lived in solitude, gaining gentleness, humility and the gift of working wonders. His fame gathered many disciples, of whom he chose twelve by lot, and at the command of the Mother of God he set out with them for Georgia in the middle of the sixth century. With the blessing of St Symeon the Stylite the Younger they came to Mtskheta, the former capital, where King Parsman, the Catholicos Eulavius and the people received them with joy, and John settled with his disciples on Mount Zedazeni, where there had been a pagan shrine. They lived in huts, ate herbs and roots and spent their time in prayer; many sick came to them and were healed.

After Abibus and Ise were consecrated bishops, the Mother of God appeared to John in a dream and urged him to send his disciples to different parts of Georgia to preach. Some went to Kakheti (Zeno, and later Stephen), others to Kartli: Pyrrhus, Michael, Thaddeus and Isidore. They taught the people, drove out the darkness of superstition and the worship of idols from the mountain valleys, and raised the cross and churches in their place.

Of Venerable Pyrrhus, called the divine image of weeping, it is said that he founded a monastery on the left bank of the river Dvanishtskali, near the place called Breti, and that his honoured relics were laid in its church. Their father John reposed between 557 and 560, after remaining only with the deacon Elias in prayer. St Pyrrhus is commemorated on 20 May, in the new style.