Isidore of Pelusium

Isidore of Pelusium (* 360 in Alexandria, Egypt; † 431-451 in Pelusium, Egypt) was a monk and later abbot of the monastery of Pelusium. He was a revered ascetic and theologian of his time.

Isidore grew up in Alexandria to perform in a Christian family and got an excellent education. He was related to the Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria and his nephew, Cyril of Alexandria. For a time he taught rhetoric in Pelusium, but then retired as an ascetic in the desert and back. After a year he returned to Pelusium, and was ordained a priest. Some years later he retired to a monastery at Pelusium, where he probably became abbot. He died according to some sources 436, according to others, between 431 and 451

Significance is Isidore through his extensive correspondence: According to Nicephorus he should have left about ten thousand letters at his death, of which receive about two thousand. Isidore wrote to monks, priests, bishops, soldiers, generals, and the eunuchs, the Patriarch Theophilus and Cyril and the Emperor Theodosius II

In his letters exerts Isidor sharp criticism of abuses of the church at that time, especially at the ambition, the love of luxury and the building mania of the higher clergy, in which he thus provided himself some enemies.

Many letters are answers to questions about Bible passages. In his theology Isidor was precise and moderate and occurs significantly on against the extremes of Sabellianism and Arianism.

He was to meet his relatives and Patriarch Theophilos a staunch admirer of John Chrysostom, whom he had met on a trip to Constantinople Opel, and later joined vigorously in Cyril committed to mention the name of John in the diptychs.

Isidore of Pelusium is a saint of the Catholic and Orthodox Church. His feast day is February 4.