Barsanuphius of Palestine

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A similarly named saint is Barsanuphius of Optina.

Saint Barsanuphius
Statue of Saint Barsanuphius at Oria
Born
Died	~540 AD
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Oria
Feast	April 11; February 6 (Eastern Orthodox Church); at Oria February 20 and August 29 and August 30
Patronage	Oria
Saints Portal

Barsanuphius of Palestine (Italian: Barsonofio, Barsanofrio, Barsanorio) (d. ca. 540 AD), also known as Barsanuphius of Gaza, was a hermit of the sixth century. Born in Egypt, he lived in absolute seclusion for fifty years at, and then near the monastery of Saint Seridon of Gaza in Palestine. He wrote many letters, 800 of which have survived. He corresponded mainly with John the Prophet, abbot of the monastery of Merosala and teacher of Dorotheus of Gaza.

[edit] Veneration

His relics arrived in Oria with a Palestinian monk in 850 AD and placed in the present-day church of San Francesco da Paola by Bishop Theodosius. During a Moorish siege and taking of the city, the relics were lost but then later rediscovered and placed in the city's basilica.

At Oria he is considered to have saved the city from destruction wrought by foreign invaders. A legend states that he repelled a Spanish invasion by appearing before the Spanish commander armed with a sword. During World War II, he is said to have spread his blue cape across the sky, thus causing a rainstorm, and preventing an air bombing by Allied Forces.