He was orphaned at the age of sixteen. He withdrew to the wilderness in the region of New Caesarea on the Euphrates. He joined a hermit named Mayum. He lived in complete poverty and ate only once every four days and only what the Lord God provided for him. When his spiritual father wanted to leave for another place, Ananias preferred to remain in the place where he had first withdrawn from the world.

He remained in his father's cell and would sometimes go out into the inner desert to spend a few days. By the grace of God, he was able to control his passions well and prepared himself to receive God's grace, so that the wild beasts and nature submitted to him as they had to Adam in ancient times, and two lions accompanied him in and out.

The fame of His Holiness Ananias spread throughout those regions, and a large number of men and women came to him, carrying their sick, and he healed them through the blessing of prayer. He also performed many miracles, comforting his weary visitors. Once, a poor man who was burdened with debt came to him and asked for alms, but the saint did not have anything to give him, so he left him the donkey, despite his great need for it.

Once again God informed him that a virtuous St. Paul had been struck by an envious brother, so he came down from the pillar with the intention of taking revenge on himself, tempted by the devil. So Ananias sent him a letter carried by one of his two companions, the lions, urging him to follow the path of peace. The St. Paul was astonished to see the lion coming towards him. When he read the letter, his anger was extinguished, and he gave up his foolish act and returned to the pillar. Ananias spent ninety-five years in his cell. When he reached the age of one hundred and ten, he gathered his disciples, appointed a leader over them, gave them his instructions, and prophesied events that happened in their time with precision. When his journey was completed, he slept in peace in the Lord, perfected in virtue.

The Church commemorates him on March 18.