John Cassian. John Cassian the Roman - works John Cassian the Roman life

The Venerable John Cassian the Roman belonged to the West by his place of birth and the language in which he wrote, but the spiritual homeland of the saint has always been the Orthodox East. In the Bethlehem monastery, located not far from the place where the Savior was born, John accepted monasticism. After a two-year stay in the monastery in 390, the monk and his spiritual brother Herman traveled for seven years through Thebaid and the Skete desert, drawing from the spiritual experience of numerous ascetics. Having returned to Bethlehem for a short time in 397, the spiritual brothers labored in complete solitude for three years, and then went to Constantinople, where they listened to St. John Chrysostom. In Constantinople, the Monk Cassian received the rank of deacon. In 405, the Constantinople clergy sent the monk to Rome to Pope Innocent I at the head of an embassy to seek protection for the innocently suffering saint.

The Monk Cassian was ordained to the rank of presbyter in his homeland. In Marseilles, for the first time in Gaul, he established two communal monasteries, male and female, according to the charter of eastern monasteries. At the request of the Bishop of Aptia Castor, the Monk Cassian in 417-419 wrote 12 books “On the Decrees of the Cenobians” in Palestine and Egypt and 10 conversations with the desert fathers in order to give his compatriots examples of cenobitic monasteries and introduce them to the spirit of asceticism of the Orthodox East. In the first book "On the Decrees of the Cinema" we're talking about O appearance monk; in the second - about the rite of night psalms and prayers; in the third - about the order of daily prayers and psalms; in the fourth - about the rite of rejection from the world; in the eight others - about the eight main sins. In his paternal conversations, the mentor in asceticism, Saint Cassian, speaks about the purpose of life, about spiritual reasoning, about the degrees of renunciation of the world, about the desires of the flesh and spirit, about the eight sins, about the misfortunes of the righteous, about prayer. In subsequent years, the Monk Cassian wrote fourteen more conversations: about perfect love, about purity, about God's help, about the understanding of Scripture, about the gifts of God, about friendship, about the use of the tongue, about the four kinds of monks, about hermit and communal life, about repentance, about fasting, about nightly temptations, about spiritual mortification, an interpretation is given of the words “I do not want, this I create." In 431, Saint John Cassian wrote his last work against Nestorius, in which he collected the judgments of many eastern and western teachers against heresy. In his writings, the Monk Cassian based himself on the spiritual experience of ascetics, noting to admirers of St. Augustine (June 15) that “grace can least of all be defended by pompous words and talkative competition, dialectical syllogisms and the eloquence of Cicero.” According to the Monk John Climacus (March 30), “the great Cassian argues excellently and sublimely.” Saint John Cassian the Roman died peacefully in 435.

According to popular beliefs, there are many unlucky days in the year. Kasyanov’s day is considered one of the most difficult for both people and livestock. It is celebrated on March 14 (February 28, U.S.) in leap years and March 13 (February 27, U.S.) in non-leap years. Why is the day called “Kasyanov”? The fact is that this date is approved by the church as dedicated to the memory of the Christian saint - St. John Cassian the Roman. For what reason our ancestors endowed the chosen one of God with negative traits in their imagination is not difficult to understand - after all, they were pagans. Orthodox Christians revere this saint for the many virtues he showed during his life, and for the mercy shown to believers even after his death.

Childhood and youth of the righteous

The Monk John Cassian the Roman was from the “capital of the world” - Rome. He was born around 350 in the Gallic region, the city of Marseille, into a family of pious, noble people. This was precisely the era that was marked in history by the flourishing of Christian writing, Doukhoborism and monasticism in the East.

At the indicated times - IV-V centuries AD. – God gave the sinful Earth many glorious ascetics and talented theologians. The Monk John Cassian the Roman was one of them. Thanks to the efforts of his loving parents, he received an excellent education. The youth began to take an interest in sacred books quite early and show a genuine interest in the sciences. Cassian began with the so-called “secular” disciplines: astronomy and philosophy, and then delved into the study of St. Scriptures. After a short time, the young man succeeded so much in the latter that he earned the title of one of the outstanding interpreters of the main book of Christians of his time.

The future saint, Venerable John Cassian the Roman, possessed numerous virtues. This was facilitated, first of all, by his desire to be like his own pious parents in everything. Like them, Cassian zealously maintained the purity of his thoughts and soul, and lived in humility, meekness and virginity. The more the boy developed the voiced qualities, the more strong was his desire to devote himself entirely to serving the Lord God. As a result, Cassian could no longer resist the dictates of his heart and, while still a young man, left his father’s house, his native land and went to Palestine, to Bethlehem. There he went to the Bethlehem monastery, where he became a monk and began to take his first steps in asceticism.

Cassian and Herman

In the holy monastery, the young righteous John Cassian the Roman met a monk named Herman. A close acquaintance began between the young people, which quickly turned into a warm, sincere friendship. Cassian and Herman lived in the same cell and practically never separated. The brethren of the monastery treated the friendship of the two monks favorably, loving both of them for their meekness and virtuous existence.

Thus passed two years of the ascetic journey of Cassian and his friend Herman, accompanied by incessant prayers and strict fasting. The desire to not stop there awoke in the young people, and they, leaving the monastery, retired into the desert, where they began to lead a silent life. But the ascetics did not limit themselves to this, after some time they began a pilgrimage journey to the holy monasteries. The monks visited all the monasteries in lower and upper Egypt, absorbing, like a sponge, spiritual conversations with other elders and ascetics living in them, memorizing the way of life of God's chosen ones.

The inseparable friends spent seven whole years like this. After John Cassian the Roman and Herman returned to Bethlehem, but very quickly went back to Egypt. For another three years the monks listened to the wisdom of the elders of Thebaid and the Skete hermitage.

Climbing the Spiritual Ladder

The year 400 became very important for the Monk John Cassian and Herman: they visited the Byzantine capital - Constantinople. The friends’ desire to visit Constantinople was dictated by the desire to see and hear St. John Chrysostom. It was fulfilled; moreover, the famous teacher of the Holy Church granted Herman the rank of presbyter, and Cassian the rank of deacon (he was somewhat younger than his comrade). Unfortunately, not everything went smoothly after this event. The three saints lived in an era of persecution of Christians, therefore the mentor and benefactor Cassian and Herman did not escape an unfortunate fate. To prevent the arrest of John Chrysostom, representatives of the highest clergy organized a delegation with ascetics. The purpose of the delegation sent to Rome was to petition for the protection of an innocent suffering teacher. Alas, the actions taken did not produce positive results; on the contrary, they further aggravated the situation: Saint John Cassian the Roman found himself in exile, and his friends were in enemy disgrace.

The Monk John Cassian the Roman once again visited the holy monasteries of Egypt during these terrible years. And then he returned to his homeland, to the city where he was born. There, the ascetic of piety became a presbyter with the blessing of the Pope, and there, in 435, he peacefully ended his earthly journey. But earlier, the Monk Cassian managed to build the first two monasteries near the city of Marseille: a man’s and a woman’s. The charter of both monasteries was brought into conformity with the rules of the Egyptian and Palestinian monasteries. Thus, the Monk John Cassian the Roman is rightfully considered one of the first founders of monasticism in the Gallic region of the Roman Empire. Thanks to this activity, which served as a model for Western monasteries in the future, the saint was awarded the title of abbot.

Venerable Cassian as a theologian

An ascetic of piety from Marseille, the Monk John Cassian the Roman, wrote in the period from 417 to 419 12 books “On the Decree of the Palestine and Egyptian Cenobiums.” He also wrote 10 conversations with desert elders. These creations were created at the request of the Bishop of Aptia Castor.

The work “On the Decree of the Cenobites” (“On the Decrees of the Cenobites”) contains information about the structure of the internal and external life of the eastern monasteries. The first book tells about the appearance of the monk, the second - about the order of night psalms and prayers, the third describes the order of daytime prayers and psalms, the fourth talks about the order of rejection from the world, books from five to twelve report on the eight main sins. The Monk Cassian identified eight passions that are especially destructive to the human soul: gluttony, fornication, anger, pride, sadness, love of money, despondency and vanity. The books that he devoted to the vices listed above contain important information: action, causes and recommendations for combating each of the destructive sins.

As for spiritual conversations with the ascetics of the desert (“Conversations of the Egyptian Fathers”), in them you will find valuable information about the purpose of life, about the desires of the spirit and body, about prayer, about the methods and stages of renunciation of worldly existence.

In 431, the Monk John Cassian the Roman wrote his last spiritual work. It is called "On the Incarnation of Christ against Nestorius." This work was polemical in nature and is now considered only as a material tribute to its time. This book is a collection of judgments of the Eastern and Western Fathers of the Church, ascetics against heresy. All three works of St. John Cassian the Roman have survived to this day.

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John Cassian the Roman(John Cassian of Marseilles) is one of those saints who became famous not for martyrdom or active preaching, but for real activity in creating monasteries and interesting literary works.

John Cassian was born in 360. Two probable places of birth of the monk are Marseille and the town of Dobrudja (now in Romania). Historically, the era of the second half of the 6th century is, first of all, the decline of the Roman Empire, the division of the once unified territory into separate countries, cities, and pieces. Young John Cassian was brought up in Roman traditions, and most likely participated in the Battle of Adrianople in 378 on the side of the Romans. The grandiose battle of the Romans and the Goths ended in the complete defeat of the founders of European civilization. The Roman Emperor Valens fled (or was killed) from the battlefield, the Roman army is disoriented and morally depressed. It is this battle that is considered a turning point in the history of the Roman Empire - the beginning of the collapse.

What impression can a bloody battle in which a mighty power was crushed have on an eighteen-year-old young man? Depends on the person, of course. Cassian chose the path of enlightenment and spiritual improvement. In 380, together with his friend Herman, he went to the Holy Land, to Bethlehem, where he took monastic vows.

A decade later, around 390, Cassian and Germanus set off on a journey to Egypt, Thebaid and the Skete desert, where they spent about seven more years wandering through monasteries, studying the way of life of Egyptian monks and ascetics. In 397, Cassian and his friend returned to Bethlehem, and they spent three years in complete solitude.

Meanwhile, in the east, a new great empire is emerging - Byzantium, with Christianity as the official state religion. At the turn of the 6th-5th centuries, John Chrysostom was called to the Byzantine capital to the patriarchal see - and disciples flocked to him from the near and far reaches of the Christian world. John Cassian became one of these disciples around 400, and John Chrysostom ordained him as a deacon.

Cassian's route from Egypt to Constantinople may have reflected the intensity of theological passions. In 400, the church in a special “Edict against Origen” banned the books of Origen, a Greek Christian theologian of the early 3rd century. Origen combined ancient philosophy and Christian dogma in his works, and at the same time developed a system of concepts that was subsequently quite widely used (even after the prohibition of Origenism). The ban was the first church ban on reading or possessing specific literature, and at the same time it pursued political goals rather than solving any theological problems.

John Chrysostom welcomed the "Origenists", which undoubtedly included John Cassian the Roman, and that is why Cassian went to Constantinople. (In parentheses, we note that the ban on Origen did not in the least weaken interest in the works of this remarkable theologian - he was quoted in the Middle Ages, studied in modern times, and is being commented on now.)

John Chrysostom's criticism of the way of life of Emperor Arcadius and especially his wife Eudoxia ended sadly - the saint was deposed and almost put to death. Cassian the Roman was sent to Rome to ask the Pope for protection for the arrested John Chrysostom (formally, the churches had not yet scattered into different branches). For the Byzantine emperors, the Pope was, as they say, not a decree; the request for intercession from Cassian did not in any way affect the fate of John Chrysostom - the saint was expelled from Constantinople, and then completely sent to die in distant exile.

It can be assumed that John Cassian was disappointed both by the impotence of the Roman church hierarchs and the immorality of the Byzantine emperors. After an unsuccessful embassy to Rome, he moved to Marseilles, where he lived peacefully and calmly until his death in 435. In Marseilles, John Cassian, appointed presbyter, founded male and female monasteries, in fact becoming the first founder of monasticism not only in Gaul, but throughout Western Europe.

The literary works of John the Roman are devoted to various stories about holy ascetics and the organization of monastic life. Without going into theological subtleties, Cassian devoted a lot of time to positive reflections on spiritual life, and presented his own theological ideas without polemics with opponents, only as his own reflections.

Works of John Cassian the Roman:
12 books “On the decrees of the Palestinian and Egyptian cenobius” (417-419)
24 “Conversations” with famous Egyptian abbas about various concepts of moral Christian teaching. (417-419)
"On the Incarnation of Christ" (431)

The last work, “On the Incarnation of Christ,” was written at the request of the future Pope Leo I and is directed against Nestorianism and Pelagianism, two powerful theological movements that were later recognized as heresies. John Cassian was a contemporary of Pelagius (both were born even in the same year) and Nestorius (he is 20 years younger than John and Pelagius), but he did not personally meet with the heresiarchs and the extent to which he was familiar with the teachings is unknown. Some authors believe that Cassian interprets the teachings of Pelagius incorrectly.

At the same time, John Cassian himself was sharply criticized by Augustine the Blessed and Bishop Prosper of Aquitaine for... semi-Pelagianism, of which John Cassian himself became one of the founders. He did not enter into disputes, did not respond to criticism, perhaps this was one of the reasons that the saint recognized by Orthodoxy is not such among Catholics. Another version - purely political - is associated with the name of Cardinal Baronius, the 16th century and the struggle between Protestants and Catholics.
Nevertheless, in Marseilles John Cassian is venerated as a saint.

IN Orthodox Church also revered as a saint. Memorial Day is February 28 or 29 (in leap years). Cassian's works were well known in Russia, they were quoted and referred to. It was Cassian who gave the name to the “extra” day of the leap year - Kasyanov’s day. But it is difficult to find an explanation why the people began to associate Saint Cassian with possible failure, misfortune, and the troubles of a leap year in general and February 29 in particular. He was a good man, a warrior and a monk, a writer and organizer of monasteries.

Biography, history, iconography on the website Iconologist: John Cassian the Roman

Sources: Wikipedia; Yakov Krotov. Dictionary of Saints. (Yakov Krotov Library)

Memorial Days

In leap years, the memory of the saint is celebrated on March 14, new style, or February 28, old style; in non-leap years, on March 13 or February 27.

Lived in the Roman Empire in the 4th-5th centuries.

The exact dates of life and place of birth of St. John Cassian is unknown. The life says that he was born around 350 in the city of Marseilles in Gaul and died around 435.
The Gallic region was part of the Western Roman Empire. At the very beginning of the 5th century, during the life of the monk, barbarians attacked Gaul, and in 410 Rome was sacked by the Goths, which caused a severe shock in the “civilized” part of the West, prompting Western Christian thought to debate, in particular about Divine Providence and predestination.
In general, the 4th and 5th centuries are the era of outstanding theologians, the “golden age of Christian writing,” the heyday of monasticism in Egypt and Syria, as well as the time of struggle against heresies: Arianism, Doukhoborism and Nestorianism.

Revered by both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches

St. John Cassian the Roman is called the link between the Eastern and Western Churches. He was born, died and spent most of his life “under the wing” of the Roman See, but he saw the Eastern tradition of monasticism as his ideal. In the West, they were little familiar with her and were accused of being “excessively mystical and detached from earthly life.” The monk did everything to rid the society of the Western Roman Empire of such views.
In addition, John Cassian created the rules of monastic life for cenobitic monasteries, which, along with the monastic rules of Basil the Great and St. John Climacus, gave the entire Church a model of monastic life and Christian morality for all subsequent times.
Some of his views were never understood in the West, but they could not underestimate his contribution to the teaching on the fight against passions. That is why Rev. John Cassian is revered not only by Orthodox, but also by Catholics.

Famous saints of the Western Church, revered in the East:

Pope Clement of Rome (1st century),
Blessed Augustine (IV-V centuries),
blzh. Jerome of Stridon (V century),
St. Gregory the Great (V-VI century),
Pope Martin the Confessor (VI century).

Wandered around Egypt for several years

The monk gained knowledge and ideas about the Eastern tradition by spending part of his life in Palestine and Egypt.
The life says that he went to Palestine in his youth and became a monk there. In Palestine, in the Bethlehem monastery (the so-called monasteries with a cenobitic charter), he met a certain Abba Herman, who became his inseparable friend. Together they went on wanderings around Egypt twice for several years each time, visited various monasteries, became acquainted with the ascetic life and received instructions from the holy elders.

Was personally acquainted with Saint John Chrysostom

Saints John Chrysostom and John Cassian were the same age. Cassian outlived Chrysostom by about 20 years. The saints valued each other and sometimes participated in each other's destinies.
The acquaintance took place around the year 400 in Constantinople, where John Cassian arrived to listen to the sermons of the famous teacher. According to legend, John Chrysostom immediately saw a great ascetic in the monk who arrived from Palestine and soon ordained him as a deacon with his own hands.
A few years later, when persecution began against John Chrysostom because of his conflict with the imperial court, John Cassian took the side of the saint and even went to Rome to seek protection for him, but to no avail.

Three books of the venerable man have reached us

One of them - “On the Incarnation of Christ against Nestorius” - was polemical in nature, was a tribute to its time and is now almost not considered. The other two - “On the Decrees of the Cenobites” and “Interviews of the Egyptian Fathers” - are included in the treasury of patristic literature. He created both at the end of his life, when he returned to his native Marseille.
The work “On the Decrees of the Cenobites” was written, in fact, to order. Bishop Castor of Aptia founded several monasteries in his diocese and wanted to emulate the Egyptian tradition in their structure. He turned to the monk with a request to write a “guide” for monks. In the book, John Cassian outlined everything he knew regarding the external and internal parts of monastic life.
The book “Conversations of the Egyptian Fathers” is dedicated to spiritual life. It was written in the form of conversations about the passion with the Egyptian elders, but many believe that the monk set forth his own teaching.

Shared eight types of passions

In article format, of course, it is impossible to retell even part of what the saint taught. Let us only note that he considered eight passions to be the enemy of every person: gluttony, fornication, love of money, anger, sadness, despondency, vanity and pride.
Describing their actions and reasons, he gave advice on how to combat them. For example, he said that a person suffering from the passion of anger can overcome it by directing all the power of anger at the passion itself, and not at objects and people around. Thus, anger, channeled in the right direction, can even be life-saving.
In the fight against the passion of fornication, noted St. John Cassian, prayer and fasting alone may not be enough - physical labor is necessary.
He saw the source of the love of money as a lack of love for God, lethargy and relaxation of the spirit. Like any passion, the monk warned, it develops gradually and is especially dangerous here, since there is nothing more invisible than becoming attached to just one denarius.
The cure for the passion of despondency, according to the monk, is work and only work. That is why, the saint pointed out, the Egyptian fathers did not allow the monks to be idle for even a minute. Well, John Cassian said about pride that it “is found everywhere and in everything.”

His works were highly appreciated by St. John Climacus

St. John Climacus even mentioned the name of Saint John Cassian on the pages of his book, where he wrote: “Humility is born from obedience, as we said above; from humility, reasoning, like the great Cassian, speaks beautifully and very highly about this in his word on reasoning.”

John Cassian debated with St. Augustine

During the life of the saint, two opposing views on the action of the Grace of God developed in the West.
One view was defended by Blessed Augustine, who gave the action of Grace a decisive role in the salvation of man, believing that without Her - on his own - man, as a fallen being, cannot change anything in his life.
Another point of view was personified by the British monk Pelagius, who lived for several years in Rome and gained great popularity in the Christian world. He, on the contrary, believed that a person’s salvation depends only on himself, and Grace is needed only as an indication of the way.
St. John Cassian rather took the side of Blessed Augustine, but softened it significantly. “The grace of God,” he said, “cannot be opposed to human freedom. Grace is necessary as constant help, but a person must participate in his own struggle. And human nature is not hopelessly dead after the Fall, but is still predisposed to good - sin only darkened it.”
“Softening” the views of Blessed Augustine, he eventually, oddly enough, acquired the “fame” of a “semi-Pelagian” in some circles.

Founded two monasteries

He tried to guide Western monasticism not only with his books, but also with specific deeds. Returning to the West, he founded two monasteries in Gaul—one for women and one for men. The charter of both was drawn up according to the traditions of eastern monasteries.

Prepared by Ivan Kovalenko

Troparion to St. John Cassian the Roman, tone 8

Having purified yourself by fasting, you gained understanding of wisdom, / from the desert God-bearing fathers you learned to curb your passions. / For this sake, grant us through your prayers / obedience to our flesh and spirit: / for you are a mentor, Reverend Cassian, // to all who sing about Christ in your memory.

Kontakion to St. John Cassian the Roman, tone 4

Having been reverend, you entrusted yourself to God, / and enlightening the good views, Cassians, / like the sun, you shone / with the radiance of your Divine teachings, / always enlightening the hearts of all who honor you. / But diligently pray to Christ, // for the love and warmth of those praising you.

(IV century – V century)

Preliminary information

Biographical information about the childhood and youth of St. John Cassian the Roman is extremely limited. Neither the place nor the exact date of his birth is known.

According to the most common opinion, the birthplace of John Cassian was Scythia Minor (a Roman province; now the territory of Romania). The approximate time of birth is considered to be the period from 360 to 365 years.

We do not know with certainty when and from whom he received the name John. According to one version, it was given to him at baptism, according to another, when he was tonsured a monk. But there is reason to believe that he took this name for himself, in honor of his teacher and bishop, the saint.

At the same time, Father John was busy writing a treatise against the heretic Nestorius, “On the Incarnation of the Lord.”

At the end of his life, the Monk John Cassian the Roman began to lose physical strength. The death of the ascetic occurred around 435. His body was buried in the monastery of St. Victor.