Luke the Stylite was a 10th-century monk who practiced extreme asceticism in the Byzantine Empire. Originally a soldier serving under Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, he witnessed the heavy casualties of a major battle against the Bulgarians. Following his military service, he transitioned to a religious life, eventually being ordained as a presbyter. He is most recognized for his life as a stylite, a type of ascetic who lived atop a pillar for forty-five years near Chalcedon.