INJUNCTIONS OF ABBA JOHN, THE CILICIAN
Abba John the Cilician, higoumen of Raithou, said to his brethren: “Brethren, as we fled from the world, so let us flee from the desires of the flesh. Let us be imitators of our fathers who lived here in such hardship, skJ/éragdégia, and recollection. Children, let us not defile this place which our fathers cleansed of demons. This is a place for ascetics, not for businessmen. I have come across elders who lived for seventy years and never ate anything but grass and dates. Seventy-six years I have lived in this place, suffering many awful and wicked things from the demons.”