James of Cyr was a hermit and one of the disciples of Maron. These disciples of Maron are chose followers of their spiritual father and founder: they went to his school of asceticism, learned from him and were directed by him. These disciples are described by Theodoret as flowers in the garden of Maron.

Many of the disciples never met the Saint, but only heard about his life and virtues and his new school of asceticism and solitude. They wanted to follow his life of devotion and sacrifice, so they became his followers. Saint Maron disciple James was still alive when Theodoret wrote about him.

James was instructed in the heavenly way by the great Maron who loved him very much. He lived with Maron for a while and then left to live by himself. However, James excelled his master in his acts of penance and good deeds. Maron accepted as his dwelling the ruins of a temple. As for clothes, he used the skins of goats to protect himself from the cold and the rain. James refused all of these and lived in the open air, saying that the skies were his roof. Thus James exposed himself to the inclement weather, quite often being drenched with rain and submerged in the snow and the ice. In summer, he was exposed to the burning sun. He accepted all types of challenges with great patience, as if he were not enduring all of the sufferings in his own body, but in the body of a stranger. He sustained everything with the strength of the Holy Spirit.

It seemed that his body did not suffer from all of these mortifications. Indeed, it seemed as if he did not have a body at all, as Saint Paul says: “We do indeed live in the body, but we do not wage war with human resources. The weapons of our warfare are not merely human. They possess God’s power for the destruction of fortress. We demolish sophistries and every pretentious concept against the knowledge of God; we likewise bring every thought into captivity to obey Christ. We are ready to punish disobedience in anyone until it becomes perfect.’’  (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6)

James spent his time exercising virtues. In seeking solitude, he went to the mountains, far from the city. This mountain became famous and people went there to take soil from this place, which they considered Holy. This place is still referred today as “Sheikh Khouros,’’ or ‘’the holy one from Khouros.’’

Bishop Theodoret wrote that he himself went out to see James and to observe him. After remaining with the holy hermit, Theodoret wrote many examples of James’s holiness and life of penitence.