Abba Isaac, the Priest of El-Qalali (Cells)
Claim to fame: He was born in an Egyptian village from poor parents, but he was rich in his righteous works. He took the opportunity of the presence of the elders of the monks in the village to sell the works of their hands and followed them to the wilderness. He served them under the yoke of obedience. When he became a monk, he excelled in asceticism and worship to the point that he never possessed two garments at the same time.
Quote: They asked him once: “Why don’t you possess two garments?” He answered: “Because when I was in the world before being a monk, I did not have two garments at the same time.”
Fun fact: When he became seasoned and everyone heard about his virtues, the fathers by consensus decided to ordain him a priest. He fled and disappeared among the fields. When they were looking for him, they passed by the field, where he was hiding in and sat to rest. They had with them a donkey, which went into the field and stood where the father was. When they went after the donkey to catch it, they found him, and they wanted to bind him so that he could not escape again. He said to them: “I will not escape now, for I know that this is the will of God.” He went with them, and they ordained him a priest, and he increased in obedience to the elders and in teaching the beginners the virtues.