SSSSt. John Climacus

The Ladder of Divine Ascent  The feast day of Saint John Climacus is March 30, however, due to the popularity of the Saint and the practice of not having weekday Divine Liturgies during Great Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Saint on the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

 Saint John Climacus is seen standing at the foot of the ladder. With his right hand he directs our attention towards the ladder, while in his left hand he holds a scroll on which is written: "Ascend, ascend, Brethren."

 The Ladder of Divine Ascent, was written as a guide to the monastic life,; it teaches how build a foundation, fight the evils which tempt us, and how to be a good person and live with love and humility. It is considered to be so important that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.