Venerable (Monastic) 5th century

Venerable Dalmatus the Ascetic

d. after 446

Also known as Dalmatius of the Dalmatian Monastery

A soldier under Theodosius who left the army for the monastic life under St Isaac, and became abbot of the monastery at Constantinople that bears his name.

Feast Day

August 3

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Dalmatus the Ascetic, Igumen of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople

Life

Dalmatus (also called Dalmatius) was a fifth-century monastic of Constantinople who began his career as a soldier in the army of the Emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), where his service drew imperial notice.

Moved by the desire to dedicate himself wholly to God, he left military service sometime between 381 and 383 and entered the monastery of Saint Isaac near Constantinople, bringing with him his son Faustus; both were tonsured there.

He excelled the other monks in ascetic virtue, and on the death of his teacher Isaac he was named to succeed him as igumen. The monastery, originally Isaac's, was thereafter named for Dalmatus.

He defended the Orthodox faith against Nestorianism at the Council of Ephesus in 431, where he was honored and elevated to archimandrite of his monastery. He reposed peacefully at the age of ninety, after the year 446, and is commemorated on August 3.

Timeline 4 moments Read Hide

379-395 Service under Theodosius the Great Dalmatus serves in the army of the Emperor Theodosius the Great and gains imperial recognition.
c. 381-383 Leaves the army for monastic life He abandons military service and, with his son Faustus, enters the monastery of Saint Isaac near Constantinople, where both are tonsured.
431 Council of Ephesus He is honored at the Council of Ephesus for defending the Orthodox faith against Nestorianism and is elevated to archimandrite of his monastery.
after 446 Repose Dalmatus dies peacefully at the age of ninety; his son Faustus succeeds him as leader of the monastery.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributions Read Hide

From Soldier to Monastic

According to the OCA Synaxarion, Dalmatus served in the army of the Emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395) and attracted the emperor's notice. Filled with a desire to devote himself to his Lord and Creator, he left the service of an earthly ruler.

Sometime between the years 381 and 383 he departed the military and went, together with his son Faustus, to the monastery of Saint Isaac near Constantinople, where both were tonsured into monasticism. The sources record that Dalmatus surpassed all the other monks in virtue.

Ascetic Life and Leadership of the Monastery

The OCA life relates that during one Lenten season Dalmatus fasted completely for forty days without food, and after recovering his strength received a divine vision.

As Isaac approached the end of his life, he named Dalmatus to succeed him as igumen of the monastery. The community, which had been founded by Isaac, was afterward named for his disciple Dalmatus, becoming known as the Dalmatian Monastery.

The Council of Ephesus and Later Life

At the Council of Ephesus in 431, Dalmatus was honored for his defense of the Orthodox faith against the teaching of Nestorius. The council elevated him to the rank of archimandrite of his monastery.

He reposed peacefully at the age of ninety, after the year 446. His son Faustus, who had been tonsured by Saint Isaac and excelled at fasting, succeeded him as leader of the monastery and proved a worthy successor to his father.

Notes

Commemorated with Sts Isaac (OS-0863) and Faustus.

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