Luke was born in the Greek village of Kastorion, the son of poor farmers, and worked from a young age in the fields and as a shepherd. He was obedient and temperate in behaviour, abstaining from eating flesh, cheese and eggs, drinking only water, and keeping a total fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. He was always generous to the poor, giving away his food away his food and clothing, to the point that on one occasion he earned his parents’ wrath by giving away almost all their seeds for planting in the fields. The Lord rewarded him, however, with a bountiful harvest.
As a child he was often to be found in fervent prayer. After his father’s death, Luke entered a monastery in Athens, but through his mother’s prayers he was returned home. His mother supported his devotion, but was concerned at his leaving home at such a young age.
His mother [Euphrosyne], already a widow, entreated God day and night to bring Luke back to her. Far from intending to hinder his calling, this pious woman had taught him to value God’s service above all else, but she had not expected him to leave her at such a young age and his disappearance brought her to despair. The Lord heard her prayers and for three continuous nights the abbot of the Athenian monastery was discomfited by a dream of Luke’s mother begging for her son’s return. Finally, the abbot called Luke to him and curtly sent him home, suggesting that he pursue a life of quiet somewhere else with the words, ‘Under the present circumstances it is quite impossible that you fail to return to your mother… Her prayer, it seems, is exceedingly persuasive to God and able to overpower your own… Depart from us, and from the borders of Attica, and give yourself back to the person who gave you birth, and from whom, for three nights now, I have undergone ten thousand harassments.’
Luke returned home, and after some months, with his mother’s blessing, left for a solitary life on a mountain at Ioannou where he lived an ascetic life of constant prayer and fasting. He was tonsured by visiting Elders and remained on the mountain for seven years and God gave him the gift of foresight. During this time many people sought Luke out as he performed many miracles. He then moved to Corinth, due to the invasion of the Bulgarian armies, and sought a stylite that he had heard of at Patras. He remained serving the stylite in humility and obedience for ten years and then returned to his ascetic life on Mount Ioannou, where he built his own community. As people were now flocking there, he moved to a more remote place at Kalaimon, and after an invasion of the Turks, he finally settled on a desolate and arid island at Ampelon, where he stayed for three years.
For the remainder of Luke’s life he lived at Steiris, on the mainland, where he performed many miracles, healing sicknesses of soul and body until his death on February 7, 946.
Troparion of St Luke of Mount Stirion Tone 1
Let us firmly honour Luke the Godbearer with hymns and chants, the glory of the faithful, the boast of the righteous, bright light of Stirion and its true inhabitant; he brings near to Christ those who cry out in faith: Glory to Him Who has strengthened thee; Glory to Him Who has crowned thee; Glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.
Kontakion of St Luke of Mount Stirion Tone 8
God in ineffable judgment chose thee before thou wast fashioned according to His good pleasure; He took thee from thy mother's womb, He sanctified thee as His servant. As the Lover of mankind, He guided thee to Himself, before Whom thou dost now stand rejoicing, O Luke.
References:
Luke the Younger, Hermit | Citydesert (wordpress.com)
Venerable Luke of Hellas - Orthodox Church in America (oca.org)
Luke the Younger - OrthodoxWiki
Logismoi: 'His Faith in God Shone'—St Luke the Younger (logismoitouaaron.blogspot.com)