Memorial Day of St. Gerasim (17/03)

The Monk Gerasim of Jordan was born in the city of Lycia (Cappadocia, Asia Minor). Already in his youth, he decided to leave worldly life and devote himself to serving God. In the Jordan Desert, the Monk Gerasim built a monastery and wrote a Charter, which was distinguished by great severity.

The abbot himself showed the brethren a wonderful example of perfect asceticism and abstinence. So the Monk Gerasim left the family wealth and worldly affairs and became a monk.

The saint labored in the desert of Egypt and later came to the banks of the Jordan River in Palestine around 450, where he founded a monastery and became its abbot. As Cyril of Jerusalem writes in the life of Euthymius the Great, Gerasimus was at one time a supporter of the heresy of Eutyches and Dioscorus, but soon repented of his delusions.

Gerasim also founded a lavra, according to the regulations of which the new monks lived in a hostel, and the spiritually experienced — in cells. Gerasim himself achieved such a degree of asceticism that throughout the entire Pentecost he did without food, only receiving Holy Communion on Sundays.

The story is known all over the world about how one day Saint Gerasim met a wounded lion in the desert and cured it. In gratitude, the lion began to serve the elder as a pet until his death. That is why Saint Gerasim is considered the patron saint of animals and a healer.

Among the Slavs, this day received another name — Day of Gerasim the Rook, because on this day the arrival of rooks was usually expected.

1114