19 July/1 August

The Saint was born in the city of Syrian Antioch at the end of the fourth century in a pious Christian family. From his young years, he distinguished himself by abstinence, took food in small quantities and not every day and tamed his flesh by vigil and unceasing prayers. For such struggles, the Lord gave dispassion and the gift of wonderworking to Saint Dius.

In a vision, the Lord commanded Saint Dius to go to Constantinople and there to serve Him and men. Dius settled outside the city in a solitary place, where people were afraid to live. Venerable Dius manfully struggled with the malicious spirits that attempted to drive him from that place. He vanquished them by prayer and by firm hope in God's help. Having prayed fervently, the Saint drove his staff into the ground, asking the Lord to give life to the dry staff, if it were pleasing to Him to see Dius abiding in that place. The Lord hearkened unto the prayer of His pleaser: the staff put forth roots, began to grow and with time turned into an enormous oak, which stood a long time well after the decease of Saint Dius.

The surrounding inhabitants began to come to the righteous one for counsel and instruction; they asked for healing from ailments of body and soul. Saint Dius treated infirmities by prayer, and he distributed what was donated to him to the poor, to wanderers and to the sick.

Rumor of Saint Dius reached Emperor Theodosius the Younger. He came to Saint Dius for a blessing together with Patriarch Atticus of Constantinople (406-425). The Emperor desired that a monastery be built on the site of Saint Dius' struggles, and he gave the means for its construc-tion. The Patriarch ordained the venerable one to the priestly dignity and installed him as hegoumen. Soon numerous monastic brethren were gathered unto Saint Dius. The monastery needed a well. They dug a long time, but unsuccessfully. At the prayer of the venerable one, the Lord brought forth a spring of pure water, which soon filled the whole well. Once, the Saint, having prayed, resurrected a drowned man. The Lord performed many other wonders through His pleaser.

In profound old age, Venerable Dius fell seriously ill. He bade farewell to the brethren, communed of the Holy Mysteries and lay on his bed, as one dead. Patriarch Atticus and Patriarch Alexander of Antioch, who was in Constantinople, arrived at the monastery to perform the burial. The holy Elder unexpectedly raised himself up from his death bed and said: "The Lord has given me another fifteen years of life." Great was the joy of the brethren.

Saint Dius really did live another fifteen years, helping all with his counsel and instruction, healing the sick and caring for the poor and the wanderers. Not long before his end, a radiant man in priestly vesture appeared to him in the altar of the church and forewarned him of the approaching day of death. Having given thanks to the Lord for the notice, Saint Dius quietly died and was buried in his monastery (about the year 430).