Alexander the Acemete
A 5th-century monk, he founded a monastic order in Constantinople famous for its practice of perpetual prayer, where choirs of monks would take turns day and night.
- Late Antiquity
- Feast day March 28
- Monk
- Founder
Saint Alexander the Acemete, born into a noble family in Asia Minor, initially served as a soldier before renouncing the world for monastic life. After years of asceticism and founding several communities in Mesopotamia, he settled near Constantinople. There, he organized his monks into 'Acemetes' (from the Greek 'akoimētoi', 'those who do not sleep'), establishing relays so that prayer and the praise of God would be continuous, day and night. This practice had a significant influence on Eastern Monasticism.