St. John Climacus (of the Ladder)

Abbot of the monastery at Sinai in the seventh century and author of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, thirty steps for thirty hidden years of Christ. He came to Sinai at sixteen, spent forty years in silence at Tholas before being made abbot, and wrote the book at the request of another abbot who wanted a rule for his monks. The Church reads him twice over in Lent: his memory falls on 30 March and the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent is given to him, so that the Ladder is put in front of every parish and not only every monastery. Feast: March 30.