Nilus of Sinai
Egyptian saint
Feast: 12 November (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Nilus, a married court official at Constantinople and disciple of St John Chrysostom, left his wife and one son and took the other, Theodulus, to Mount Sinai to be monks.
When raiders carried off Theodulus about 410, Nilus eventually found him again. He was one of the leading ascetic writers of the fifth century and was alive in 430. He is in the Roman Martyrology on 12 November.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A courtier who became a monk and teacher of the spiritual life.
Connected on this site
- John Chrysostom Saint Teacher“365 – 12 November 430 or 451) was one of the many disciples and stalwart defenders of John Chrysostom.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Nilus the Elder
- Wikidata Q770938 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Nilus of Sinai (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.