JOHN CLIMACUS. - Called Climacus (ladder) from his work The Ladder of Paradise. He lived in the 7th century on Sinai as a hermit and abbot of the famous monastery. His Ladder is divided into 30 books, corresponding to the thirty years of Jesus' hidden life. The final half of the ascent is "apatheia," which gives access to the life of the "hesychast" (contemplative life) and of mystical prayer. G.'s mysticism stands under the influence of Evagrius Ponticus; prayer in the form of a monologue (the name of Jesus) is recommended. In the mystical rapture the soul sees the infinite light of God.
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BIBL.: Ed.; PG 88, 632-1161. Greek text with introduction, translation and notes by P. Trevisan (Corona Patrum Salesiana, 8-9), Turin 1941. On G., see Krumbacher, p. 143 ff.; L. Petit, s. v. in DThC, VIII, coll. 690-93; S. Rabois-Bousquetet-S. Salaville, in Echos d'Orient, 26 (1923), p. 400 ff.; A. Sandresu, La doctrine spirituelle de St Jean C., in La Vie spirituelle, 9 (1924), pp. 352-70; J. Hausherr, La méthode d'oraison hésychaste, Rome 1927, p. 135 ff.; Bardenhewer, V (1932), pp. 79-92; M. Viller-K. Rahner, Aizese und Mystik in der Väterzeit, Freiburg 1939, p. 135 ff.; G. Graf, Geschichte der christlich-arabischen Literatur, I (Studi e Testi, 118), Vatican City 1944, p. 409 ff.