Saint Barlaam (sixth century) was born in a village called Al-Lahiya near the Black Mountain, which extends from Al-Amanus to the Orontes River. He loved monasticism, so he went to it and wore an angelic skirt. He was charmed by the Divine Presence and overwhelmed by the Divine Providence. His fasting, staying up late, and his labors became “without hardship or pain.” He was seen present in body on earth while his mind was with his God and Master in heaven. It occurred to him to go to Jerusalem to seek blessings. When he arrived at the city’s gate, he found people standing and asked them, as if under inspiration from God: “Is this the city that crucified its Lord?” They said: It is her, and she made him drink vinegar on the cross! He cried! He immediately turned around and went back to where he came from. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, saying: “The Lord has not sent you here, but to the mountain called Al-Aqra” (located near Jisr Al-Shughur between Latakia and Al-Suwayda). He went away rejoicing because he was deemed worthy to be a messenger for his Lord.

The man of God turned his gaze toward the bald mountain. He stood and prayed, and had almost finished his prayer when a bright light appeared to him like the wood of a cross, and a voice from the cross said to him: “O Barlaam!” I am the way and the truth and the life !" The saint was happy, thanked God, and climbed the mountain holding a cross made of olive trees in his hand. When the saint reached the top of the mountain, he saw an idol erected and in front of it a trace of sacrifices and children who had been slaughtered to be burned in front of it. When the saint contemplated all of this, he cried and prayed, saying: O Lord Jesus Christ, give me strength and a good sign so that your name may be called on this mountain and praised. And after he prayed, he took the foot of the idol, took it down, cut it down, and annihilated it, and placed the noble cross in its place. He resided there on a rock in great ascetic efforts, and built a large monastery inhabited by many people. Many people believed in the Lord Jesus through his hands. Many monks and ascetics went to it. Some of them have received abundant blessings from God and have been given signs. As for Barlaam, over whom the Lord God had the authority to expel evil spirits from people, he healed the blind who sought him out, and the cripples whom he raised up in the name of the Lord:

One of his virtues is that there was a hermit in the mountain, radiant with virtues and famous for his miracles. When he heard about Saint Barlaam, he poured fire into him wrapped in a cloth, and the saint accepted it and was blessed by it. Then he took the fire in his hand and put incense into it before the Lord God. He also took water, wrapped it in a cloth, and carried it to the hermit, who kissed him and was blessed with it as well. It happened, at that hour, that some people were visiting the prisoner, and they were suffering from pains, diseases, and disabilities. When they saw the water, they anointed themselves with it, and immediately they were healed of their illness by the power of God. They praised and glorified the Most High. When our saint’s days came to an end, when he was about eighty, he saw in the spirit a divine sight. He saw the grace of the Lord God and a group of holy angels, and part of his great honor was that the angels snatched him up and lifted him up, and when he rose into the sky, he saw the sights of mental bodies and passed through the heavenly arrays, repeating: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ, the Great King! Praise be to You, O Lord of hosts. Wonderful are Your works, and Your greatness has no end. Then he saw a beautiful court, a very splendid country, a great throne, and an elegant crown. Grace said to him: All of this, O Barlaam, is stored up for everyone who imitates your good doctrine! The saint fell down and prostrated, saying: O Lord, if I have found grace in your hands, grant me not to leave this place. Then he heard a voice telling him, “Know that what you ask for will be yours.” After that, the saint saw himself in his cell, and whenever he mentioned what he saw in the sky of praise, light, and splendor, he would say with longing: O Lord, bring my soul out of prison! His life only lasted nine months after that sight, after which his soul moved towards what he saw prepared for him. His body remained buried in his monastery, healing diseases, performing miracles, and showing signs and powers until today. His intercession benefits us. Amen

Quoted from the old website of the Diocese of Aleppo