SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

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the mixture of fresh, bitter-spicy smell of roasted chestnuts, fish, tobacco and greenery with the fresh-cold aroma of tulips, the dusty smell of pavements warmed by the sun and the brackish smell of the Bosphorus

Taste for the painting:

simits, walnut-honey baklava, coffee and tea

Collection of the Institute of the Sun

John Chrysostom is one of the most revered people elevated to the rank of Saints in the Christian tradition. The name of Saint John Chrysostom means “golden-mouthed” in Greek and denotes his celebrated eloquence. Even people who are very far from the Christian doctrine know this name. It has become a generic term; in the world people often call so gifted speakers. Actually, it was not without reason that even inveterate pagans converted to Christianity from the fiery sermons of the Great Hierarch!

In his earthly life, John Chrysostom was a theologian and the archbishop of Constantinople, who ever since that time has been revered as one of the Three Great Hierarchs and Teachers, together with Saint Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian.

John Chrysostom received the name Chrysostom from birth. The exact date of his birth is unknown. It is assumed that the future Saint was born around the year 347 and his homeland was Antioch (now it is the city of Antakya in southern Turkey).

The boy’s family was noble and wealthy, but his father, a military leader named Secundus, passed away when John was still a child, and therefore his mother Anfusa, who was barely 20 years old at the time of her husband’s death, was the only one to be engaged in his upbringing. However, the woman did not marry anymore, but devoted her life to children (John also had a sister, who, apparently, died at an early age). Despite the difficulties, Anfusa tried to give her son a good education. John became proficient in the secular sciences (literature, rhetoric, philosophy), as well as in theology and the study of Holy Scripture.

Later, already being spiritually affirmed in the faith, he was taught by the best philosophers and rhetors (Libanius, a pagan rhetorician, considered him his best student).

Saint Meletius of Antioch baptized him in 367. Three years later, John was made a reader, and after Meletius had been sent into exile by the emperor Valens in 372, John, together with Theodore of Mopsuestia, studied at the local theological school under the presbyters Flavian and Diodorus of Tarsus.

Therefore, natural talent and the best teachers allowed John to become a truly literate and educated person.

After the death of his beloved mother, John decided to accept monasticism. Some time later, he was offered the bishopric, but John refused this honor. At the same time, The Righteous wrote a work called “Six words about the priesthood”, where he outlined his own vision of what belonged to the sacred orders.

A while later, John fulfilled his old dream of hermitage and retired to the complete loneliness of the cave. There, in fasting, prayer and meditation, John spent four years, comprehending divine wisdom and subduing worldly passions and desires. It was at this time that John, by strict asceticism, got rid of his last vices (envy and greed).

No doubt, John’s soul benefited from such a severe test, but, unfortunately, it did not help the body of The Righteous: his health began to fail, and he was forced to return to his native Antioch. Until the end of his life, John suffered from the so-called “gastric disease”, which he had acquired during the years of his hermitage.

However, during this time The Righteous wrote several works, which are still being discussed by believers and which are customary to turn to in times of hardship.

Returning to society, John agreed to take the church rank, and in 381 Meletius ordained The Righteous to the rank of deacon, and five years later to the rank of presbyter. One of John’s duties was to preach sermons. The education received in his youth, the gift of speech, as well as sincere faith, helped John to become a brilliant preacher. People from other cities came to listen to him. John’s interpretations were passed from mouth to mouth, and hearing words of support and encouragement from the preacher was tantamount to God’s blessing.

It was for this gift of word for which the preacher was named Chrysostom.

For 12 years, John Chrysostom preached in the temple, analyzed the meaning of the Word of God together with the parishioners, wrote down his own interpretations of The Scripture and prayers, as well as teachings and instructions for believers. The following works of the time belong to John Chrysostom:

• “The book about virginity”;
• “To a young widow”;
• “About Providence”;
• “The book about Saint Babyl and against Julian and the pagans”, as well as many others…

In 397, the archbishop of Constantinople Nektarios died, and John was called to replace him as Patriarch. John began his “career” in such a high position with teaching priests. Moreover, the material resources intended for the clergy, John began to spend on the maintenance of hospitals, on helping the poor and wandering pilgrims. Rumors about the kindness and fairness of John were passed from mouth to mouth, and therefore very soon his name became known to all believers.

However, there were some conflicts…

John found himself embroiled in a conflict with the imperial court when he hid in the church consul Eutropius, deposed for greed and unjust deeds. Moreover, once Empress Eudoxia (the wife of Emperor Arcadius) ordered to take away all the property from the widow and children of the executed nobleman. John Chrysostom stood up for an innocent woman with small children, for which he earned the wrath and hatred of the self-willed Empress. Envious people around and sycophants were quick to take advantage of the situation and reported to Eudoxia that in his sermon on vain women, John allegedly had in mind precisely her.

John Chrysostom was immediately put on trial, and the sentence turned out to be quick, unjust and harsh: deprive him of his church rank, and then execute him for insulting the Great Empress… Emperor Arcadius turned out to be a more prudent and merciful person and replaced the execution with exile.

Frustrated by the injustice of the verdict, John sent a petition for help to Pope Innocent I. He took pity on John and even sent a delegation to Constantinople. Unfortunately, the papal ambassadors never reached their goal – at first the priests were arrested, then they were sent back, and John Chrysostom ended up in Armenia…

Despite the distance from friends, like-minded people and parishioners, The Righteous did not renounce the service to the Lord. John constantly wrote letters that he sent to different parts of the world, including Constantinople. These messages, some of which have survived to this day, contain instructions to believers, as well as words of support and comfort to those who needed it.

In the winter of 406, the health of The Righteous seriously deteriorated. Due to illness, John Chrysostom practically did not get out of bed. However, this did not stop the rulers of the capital: an order was issued to transfer John to Pythiount (now it is the city of Pitsunda in Abkhazia). A three-month march on foot under the rain and the scorching sun finally undermined the health of John Chrysostom. Moreover, in addition to all the road difficulties, John had to endure the bullying and ridicule of the escorts… Therefore, the Righteous never got to Pythiount… In the village of Comana, John asked for communion, after which he immediately quietly passed away… According to legend, the last words of John Chrysostom were, “Thank You, God, for everything!”

So, on 14 September 407, ended the earthly path of John Chrysostom…

Until 438, the remains of the Saint were buried in Comana, in The Martyrium of the Holy Martyr Basiliskos, next to his grave, and then, by decree of Patriarch Proclus, they were transferred to the capital. According to legend, the remains of The Righteous in the tomb turned out to be incorruptible, and in Constantinople, the deceased John spoke to the believers, wishing them all peace.

In 1568, Pope Pius V canonized John Chrysostom as a Saint.

In 1204, during the Fourth Crusade, the relics of John Chrysostom were translated to Rome, where they remained for eight centuries, and in 2004, by decree of John Paul II, who at that time held the post of Pope of Rome, the relics of the Saint returned to Constantinople. Now the relics of John, along with the relics of Gregory the Theologian, rest in Istanbul, in The Patriarchal Cathedral Church of Saint George. However, small particles of the relics of the Saints were left in the Vatican.

At least two relics claim to be the head of John Chrysostom: one is held in The Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos, and the other – in The Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

Other parts of the relics of the Saint are kept on Mount Athos in the monasteries of Philotheus, the Great Lavra, Dohiar, as well as in the monasteries of Meteora and The Church of San Giovanni Crisostomo of Venice.

The spiritual heritage of Saint John Chrysostom is very extensive:

• interpretations of the books of Holy Scripture (Genesis, Psalter, Gospels of Matthew and John, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles of the Apostle Paul);
• many conversations on individual texts of the Bible;
• teachings for feasts and in praise of Saints;
• “apologetic words” (against the Anomeans, the Judaizers and Gentiles);
• the liturgy of the Eastern (Byzantine) rite;
• the seventh prayer (containing 24 small prayers according to the number of hours in a day) of the “evening rule”, recommended for daily performance by Orthodox Christians…

By the way, the name of Saint John Chrysostom is in the full name of the brilliant Austrian composer, baptized on January 28, 1756 in the Salzburg Cathedral of Saint Rupert under the Latin name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart – John Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart, the first two components of which are the name of Saint John Chrysostom.

The city of Zlatoust (Chrysostom in Russian) in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia is also named after John Chrysostom…

Of course, to speak beautifully (meaningfully, confidently, convincingly, understandably and intelligibly…) is a rare gift that Saint John Chrysostom mastered so well.

The lips of this earthly person helped interpret and understand the messages of God.

His voice sounded like a bell, traditionally symbolizing the “Voice of God” – His greatness, calmness and stability…

Actually, it really takes a Genius to explain so easily to shepherds and hunters such concepts as singularity, exponential expansion, abiogenesis, the world of RNA, cell evolution, quark-gluon plasma, DNA and natural selection by the seven days of the world creation, by Adam and Eve, by the forbidden fruit and the creation of man from clay…

Therefore, it is not at all surprising that Saint John Chrysostom is considered The Protector and Patron of those whose work is related to oratory – lawyers, teachers and lecturers, politicians and political scientists, journalists and commentator… – that is, people who help others with their knowledge and gift of speech. Moreover, parents of children who cannot speak for a long time traditionally pray to this particular Saint.

By the way, the Saint not only helped those in need of consolation and advice with a word, but also the poverty-stricken with a coin, and therefore he is also considered The Protector of the weak and the poor.

A prayer to Saint John Chrysostom has great power. However, if you wish the Saint granted his help, you cannot appeal to him in anger, or ask for harm to the offender, but only pray for the triumph of justice.

There are several feast days dedicated to Saint John Chrysostom:

• 14 (27) September – Repose of Saint John Chrysostom, coinciding with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (therefore, the church service in honor of his memory is postponed to 13 (26) November). According to Brian Croke, 13 November is the date when news of John Chrysostom’s death reached Constantinople;
• 27 January (9 February) – The Translation of the relics of Saint John Chrysostom from Comana to Constantinople;
• 30 January (12 February) – The Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs (John Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian and Basil the Great).