The Letters Of John Of Dalyatha

The author of these Letters, John of Dalyatha, (or John Saba, the Elder) was born in northwest Iraq and during the eighth century was a monk in a monastery at Qardu, near the Turkish border. After seven years in community, he received permission to live the solitary life in the mountains of Dalyatha, where he remained most of his life.

John outlines the itinerary of those who are baptized: purification through repentance; fasting; prayer; struggle with demons; sanctification through silence; tears; wonder; divine light; union through contemplation; praise; assistance of the angels—leading to the vision of God. The Christian life after baptism is presented as an "anticipated resurrection"—a new life in the New World. Throughout the Letters, John speaks intuitively with great fervour, perhaps due to Macarian influence. But he always speaks with clarity, not analytically, but never imprecisely, perhaps revealing Evagrian influence. He speaks about God in human language.