Profile
John was born wealthy. He ran away from home as a child, and became a monk at Gomon on the Bosphorus at age 12. When he finally returned home as a beggar at age 18, his family did not recognize him. However, they did recognize that he was a holy man, and the family allowed him to live as a hermit in a small hut (a calybe in Greek) near their front door. Only on his death were they were informed of his real identity. His story has led to his being a symbol of homelessness, and how we may not recognize the humanity in the poor and homeless in our midst.
Born
- at Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey)
Died
- c.450 of natural causes
Representation
- beggar with a Gospel in his hand
- beggar revealing his identity to his parents on his death bed
Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-john-calabytes/
