Background
He was born in Cappadocian Sebasteia.
He was born in Cappadocian Sebasteia.
The Palestinian-Georgian calendar venerates him or December 16 and October 19 in the Acta Sanctorum. Withdrawing to Mount Sinai to live as an ascetic, he was later made abbot of the Monastery of Saint Theodosius in Palestine. Modestus had been on his way to raise Greek troops to oppose this and was surrounded by Persian troops, having a narrow escape.
Modestus was then chosen to stand in for Zacharias as Patriarch.
He buried the monks killed at the monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified and rebuilt the Holy Sepulchre, the city"s churches and monasteries with help from John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. He became patriarch in his own right after Zacharias died in Persia when Heraclius visited the city to restore the True Cross in March 630.
On Modestus"s death he was buried in the Church of the Eleona on the Mount of Olives.