Escaping his home after a particularly intense beating from his earthly father, Saint Hypatius fled into the arms of his heavenly Father and became a monk. His experience in turning attacks meant for evil into good came became a path to salvation for his monks as the community was continually forced to endure invasions by the Huns and the Goths. Finally turning towards the protection of the Imperial City, he found the Monastery of the Rufinianes in a dilapidated state after being abandoned by its original inhabitants who had returned to Egypt. Moreover, it had become infested by demons who sought to claim for themselves a place that had previously been dedicated to the Lord. Upon his arrival, Saint Hypatius drove away the demons by his prayerful rebuke and settled his monks there. They labored intensely to scratch out a life, but they turned their deprivation into ascesis. Eventually, the Devil saw an opportunity to disrupt the way of life that so scorched him, and he caused a quarrel between the Saint and Timothy, one of his original companions that journeyed with him to Constantinople. In imitation of the Patriarch Abraham in the dispute with his nephew, Lot, Saint Hypatius humbled himself and withdrew to his former monastery. When the elder there became ill, he called the Saint and Timothy to him and exhorted them to be reconciled as the Apostles had done when they quarreled. They exchanged mutual forgiveness, overcoming the Evil One by obedience and love, and Hypatius was elected as abbot of the monastery.