St. John of Egypt, a hermit, lived in Thebaida, dedicated to the prayer and penanceand St. Rupert was bishop of Salzburg. St. John worked as a carpenter and placed himself in the hands of a monk, who guided him to austerity in the search for Jesus Christ. He fed on wild fruits, slept little and atoned for his sins. He was known for his simplicity and joy.
God granted him the gift of prophecy, of healing illnesses, and of being a guide of souls. He went to accessed by emperors, political and religious figures. Some Fathers of the Church went to him, such as St. Jerome y St. Augustinewho wrote about him and is a sure source to know him. After spending more than 70 years in the desert, he died in 394.
First abbot-bishop
The life of St. Rupert was different from that of St. John. Bishop of Worms (Germany), he had to leave, because he was opposed by Arians and pagans. Then the duke of Bavaria, Theodo II, invited him to preach in their territorywhich then comprised a part of Austria. St. Rupert began in Regensburg and continued along the Danube.
He rebuilt an ancient Roman city given to him by the duke, Juvavum, to which he gave the name Salzburg. He built a church and a monastery, dedicated to St. Peter'sand it was his first abbot and bishopaccording to the Roman Martyrology. He died in 718. His relics are preserved in the cathedral of Salzburg, built in the seventeenth century.
