Story
Saint Alexander Akimetes was born in Asia, and in his youth he was educated in Constantinople, where he accepted the faith through his passion for reading the Gospels. He then returned to Syria to practice the ascetic life.
He practiced the communal life and then the solitary life, and after eleven years of his monasticism he dedicated himself to evangelistic work in Mesopotamia. It is said that he was the one who drew Rabbula, who later became Bishop of Edessa.
He founded a great monastery beside the Euphrates, but he did not remain there long; for he took a large company of his monks and settled for a time in Antioch, where this visit of his stirred up great troubles, so that in the end he founded a new monastery in Constantinople. Once again a band of malicious men rose against him and he was expelled, so he founded yet another monastery at Gomon, on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus, where he reposed in the year 430.
He gained his renown because of his establishing of choirs who divided themselves, night and day, for unceasing service. For this reason he was called in Greek "Akoimetoi" or "Akimetai," that is, "those who do not sleep."
His feast is celebrated on the 23rd of February