 The Christian captive carried a staff with a red and blue cross.After the Mass, John decided to devote himself to the task of ransoming Christian captives from the Moors.Before entering upon this work, he thought it needful to spend some time in retirement, prayer, and mortification; and having heard of a holy hermit, St. Felix of Valois, living in a great wood near Gandelu, in the diocese of Meux, he repaired to him and requested him to instruct him in the practice of perfection.