St. Euthymius the Great

St. Euthymius the Great was an Armenian ascetic and a significant figure in Eastern Orthodox monasticism. Born in 377, he was educated and ordained priest by Bishop Otreus of Melitene. He was responsible for spiritual care for ascetics and monasteries in the city. Euthymius left for Palestine in 406 and befriended St. Theoctistus, who they established a cenobitic monastery. Euthymius then established similar communities in the west bank of the Dead Sea, Ziph, and northeast of Jerusalem. The last foundation was named after him and dedicated by Bishop Juvenal of Jerusalem in 429.

Euthymius converted many nomad Saracens to the Orthodox Church and instituted the parembolai to provide pastoral care. He was consulted on theological questions by Eastern bishops and contributed to the Council of Ephesus against the Nestorian heresy and the Council of Chalcedon in refuting the heretical monophysites. Euthymius disseminated orthodox Christological doctrine throughout Palestinian monasticism, overcoming defamations from his theological adversaries. His influence led Byzantine empress Eudoxia to reject monophysitism, demonstrating the importance of orthodox Christological doctrine in the early Christian world.