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Our venerable and God-bearing Father '''John Climacus''' (ca. 579 - 649), also known as '''John of the Ladder''', John Scholasticus, and John Sinaites, was a seventh century [[monk]] at [[St. Catherine's Monastery (Sinai)|St. Catherine's monastery]] at the base of [[Mount Sinai]]. In Greek, his epithet is '''Κλιμακος''' (Klimakos). The [[Orthodox Church]] celebrates his [[feast day]] on [[March 30]].
He came to the monastery and became a novice when he was about 16 years old, and when he died in 649 he was the monastery's [[abbot]]. He wrote a number of instructive books, the most famous of which is [[The Ladder of Divine Ascent]]. (It is because of this book that John is known as "Climacus," which means "of the ladder".) It describes how to raise one's soul to God, as if on a ladder. This book is one of the most widely read among Eastern Orthodox Christians, especially during the season of [[Great Lent]] which immediately precedes [[Pascha]] (Easter), and on the [[Sunday of St. John Climacus|fourth Sunday of Great Lent ]] he is especially commemorated.
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