Cloud of Witnesses
Venerable (Monastic)Byzantine

99 Holy Fathers of Crete

14th century (traditional)

Also known as John the Wonderworker and the Fathers of Crete

A community of ninety-nine ascetic fathers of Crete, whose leader John was a renowned wonderworker.

October 7New Calendar
Feast Day
October 20Old Calendar
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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Fathers John the Hermit and the Ninety-Eight Fathers of Crete

Life

The 99 Holy Fathers of Crete were a community of ninety-nine ascetics who, according to tradition, gathered under the leadership of a wonderworking monk named John and settled near Azogires in Crete. Church records place their activity most probably in the 14th century.

By tradition the community assembled in stages during a journey toward Crete: John began in Egypt with a group of companions, further ascetics joined in Cyprus, and still more in Attaleia (modern Antalya), until the number reached ninety-nine. Settling in the caves near Azogires, they eventually built a monastery there.

Their leader John was renowned for extraordinary devotion in prayer and is remembered as a wonderworker. The fathers are commemorated together on October 7 (October 20 on the Julian calendar), their feast having been formally established in 1632 by Patriarch Cyril Loukaris.

Timeline5 momentsReadHide
  1. Journey (traditional)The community gathersAccording to tradition, Saint John set out from Egypt with a group of companions; further ascetics joined in Cyprus and again in Attaleia (modern Antalya, Turkey), until the company numbered ninety-nine monks bound for Crete.
  2. 24 days at GavdosHalt at GavdosDuring a violent storm the fathers stopped at the island of Gavdos, where tradition holds they remained for twenty-four days before continuing toward Crete.
  3. SettlementAzogiresThe fathers settled in the caves near Azogires in Crete and in time built a monastery. John later withdrew to live as a solitary hermit.
  4. 1632Feast establishedPatriarch Cyril Loukaris officially established the feast of the fathers on October 7.
  5. 1879Liturgical service issuedA liturgical service dedicated to the fathers was issued in Heraklion, Crete.

Contributions & Legacy

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The Community and Its Leader

The fathers are remembered as ascetics drawn from Egypt, Cyprus, and Asia Minor who came together under Saint John. Tradition records that John began the company in Egypt with thirty-five companions, that thirty-nine more joined in Cyprus, and that a further twenty-four joined at Attaleia, bringing the total to ninety-nine.

John himself was celebrated for his devotion to prayer. The synaxarion relates that he knelt in prayer so continually that he lost the ability to walk and moved about on his knees, a manner of locomotion that once astonished a woodsman who came upon him.

Traditional Accounts

By tradition, when the fathers departed the island of Gavdos, John became invisible to his companions and was left behind. The others later heard him calling from the shore and witnessed a miracle: John is said to have crossed to Crete in three hours while standing upon his tunic.

Tradition also relates that before John withdrew to live as a hermit, the monks swore a solemn common oath that when one of them died the rest would follow. All ninety-nine are said to have reposed peacefully at about the same time, in fulfillment of that oath.

Commemoration and Veneration

The fathers are commemorated on October 7 (October 20 on the Old Calendar), a feast formally established in 1632 by Patriarch Cyril Loukaris. In the Orthodox calendar the day is variously titled the 99 Holy Fathers of Crete and Venerable John the Hermit and the 98 Fathers of Crete.

Their veneration is documented in the writings of Saint Nicodemus the Hagiorite and in the Great Synaxaristes, and a liturgical service in their honor was issued at Heraklion in 1879. They are especially honored by the Orthodox Church in Crete.

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints