Byzantine Saints: Venerable John Calabytes “the Hut-Dweller” (15 January)

About this sermon

St John the Hut-Dweller, also known as Venerable John of Constantinople, is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on January 15. Born in the early 5th century to wealthy and illustrious parents in Constantinople, John received an exceptional education in rhetoric and philosophy, mastering both by the age of twelve. Despite every worldly advantage, John perceived the vanity of earthly life and secretly longed for monasticism. After befriending a passing monk, he fled to the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones (Akoimetoi) near Bethany, where he received monastic tonsure and astonished the brethren through unceasing prayer, obedience, fasting, and labor. After six years, overcome by sorrow for his parents, John left the monastery with his abbot’s blessing—not to return to luxury, but to embrace voluntary humiliation. Disguised as a beggar, he lived in a small hut at the gates of his own parents’ home, enduring insults, cold, and hardship for three years, unknown to them, while praying continually to God. Before his repose, Christ revealed to John that his suffering was ending. Only then did he reveal his identity through the gospel book his parents had once lovingly commissioned for him. Reunited briefly with his parents, St John fell asleep in the Lord before the age of 25. On the site of his burial, his parents built a church and hospice for strangers. His holy relics later spread to France and Rome, where they remain witnesses to a life of radical humility, repentance, and hidden sanctity. 🕯️ This life reminds us that holiness often flourishes unseen, in silence, suffering, and love. 00:00 Introduction – St John the Hut-Dweller 00:23 Birth & Noble Family in Constantinople 00:33 Education & Love for Spiritual Books 00:42 Desire for Monastic Life 01:13 Entrance into the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones 01:25 Ascetic Labors & Obedience 01:34 Temptation & Longing for Parents 01:49 Blessing to Leave the Monastery 02:09 Return to Constantinople as a Beggar 02:18 Life in the Hut at His Parents’ Gate 02:34 Vision of Christ Before Death 02:45 Final Message to His Mother 03:10 Revelation Through the Gospel Book 03:36 Reunion with His Parents 03:46 Holy Repose of St John 03:52 Church & Hospice Built in His Honor 04:01 Translation of Relics https://www.oca.org/saints/lives 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 SensusFidelium.TV - https://sensusfidelium.tv/@SensusFidelium 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶️ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶️ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #StJohnTheHutDweller #OrthodoxSaints #LivesOfTheSaints #OrthodoxChurch #ChristianHagiography #HiddenHoliness #AsceticSaints #January15 #EarlyChurch #OrthodoxSpirituality