Venerable Thomas of Bithynia

Commemorated on December 10.

Saint Thomas Dephourkinos was born in Bithynia. From his youth he was fond of monastic life and entered one of the area monasteries. Later in his life, when the Byzantine official Galoliktos had founded a monastery at the River Sagarisa, Saint Thomas was already an experienced monk, and the brethren chose him as head of the new monastery.

From there Saint Thomas withdrew into the wilderness, where for a long time he labored in solitude. The monk overcame many snares of the devil in the wilderness. The Lord glorified him with the gift of healing and prophecy.

Once, the emperor Leo the Wise (886-911) came to the monastery to Saint Thomas for advice. Not finding the monk at the monastery, the emperor sent his messenger with a letter for him. And just as the messenger arrived at the the Elder’s hut, the saint carried out to him a sealed answer, resolving the emperor’s question. It is not known when Saint Thomas reposed.