“Behold, the light of the world shines forth, the most high Divine lamp appears in it, a wellspring of Divine gifts. Come, brethren, let us draw in this light, let us warm ourselves, let us gather it, lifting up songs from the heart magnifying the golden-mouthed one.”
(Troparion of the 9th Ode of the Canon to St. John Chrysostom)
The golden-mouthed. With this name, he entered history and the life of humankind. The glory surrounding St. John Chrysostom as a Christian teacher and master of eloquence has served and continues to serve to glorify God, planting the seeds of faith in the hearts of millions from all walks of life who, even today, read his fiery words with undying interest.
St. John Chrysostom
Saint John Chrysostom was born into a wealthy and noble family. Blessed with an outstanding education, John received recognition for his talents from a young age. Yet he devoted all his exceptional gifts, abilities, strength, and the treasures of his soul to God, dedicating his life to the service of the Church. For over 1600 years, the fruits of his God-pleasing life have served the salvation of humankind. The homilies, sermons, interpretations, and discussions that flowed from his pen comprise over 900 works. This is the richest legacy left by any of the Holy Fathers.
Church of St. John Chrysostom in Korovniki (Yaroslavl). Years of construction: 1649–1654
Churches and monasteries dedicated to the saint can be found in various corners of the globe. Over the course of more than sixteen centuries, his likeness has been depicted on frescoes and icons, in mosaics, and embroidered on church veils, banners, and vestments.
Depictions of the saint are sometimes so diverse in style and manner of execution that it is hard to believe they portray the same person. However, according to descriptions by historians and contemporaries, St. John was of small stature and delicate build, with a large head and a high forehead. It was customary among the clergy at that time to wear a small beard.
From left to right: Icon of the Royal Doors, Yaroslavl School, 16th century; full-length image, 10th century, Serbia; Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, last quarter of the 14th century
The saint was bestowed with the rare title of Ecumenical Teacher. Only three saints of the Orthodox Church share this distinction: his older contemporaries Basil of Caesarea, known as the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus, who holds the equally rare title of Theologian. The Church commemorates the three hierarchs on 12 February.
Chapel of St. John Chrysostom in the Judean Desert
The works of Saint John Chrysostom became beloved reading very early on, not only for the nobility but also for simple peasants. The so-called “Chrysostoms” — collections of the saint’s discourses compiled by Russian scribes — circulated in numerous manuscripts during the 14th-17th centuries. These also include the so-called “Emeralds” — another type of collection widespread in Russia, consisting of the saint’s works.
Raised by his devout mother, who was widowed early and dedicated her life to her children’s upbringing, Saint John Chrysostom later embraced monasticism. Soon, he was deemed a worthy candidate for the episcopal see, but the saint humbly declined the rank of bishop.
During this time, John penned the “Six Discourses on the Priesthood”. He spent four years in the desert, engaging in rigorous fasting and prayer. In this period, he composed “Against those who oppose those seeking monasticism” and “A Comparison of the Power, Wealth, and Advantages of Kings with the True and Christian Wisdom of the Monastic Life”.
St. John Chrysostom. Fragment of a Byzantine icon from the Panagia Arakiotissa Monastery in Cyprus. Circa 1193. Iconographer Apseud Theodore
Chrysostom wrote about monasticism: “Just as those who wish to save themselves flee from a burning house, so do lovers of divine wisdom and piety flee to the deserts from cities where lawlessness, injustice, and debauchery flourish, for many perish and few are saved.”
For two years, the future luminary of the Church observed complete silence, dwelling in a secluded cave. However, his intense ascetic labours undermined his strength, and John had to return to Antioch to restore his health.
In 381, Bishop Meletius of Antioch ordained John to the diaconate. In the years that followed, he dedicated himself to creating new theological works: “On Providence”, “Book on Chastity”, “To a Young Widow” (two discourses), “Book on St. Babylas and Against Julian and the Pagans”.
Fragment of the Deesis. Iconostasis of the Cathedral of St. Sophia, Veliky Novgorod
In 386, John was ordained as a presbyter. He was charged with the responsibility of preaching the word of God, and soon he revealed himself to be a brilliant preacher. Grateful congregations began to call him Χρυσόστομος (“Chrysostom”, meaning “Golden-Mouthed”). For twelve years, he preached in the church twice a week, and sometimes daily. During this period, he wrote commentaries on several books of Holy Scripture and numerous homilies on individual biblical texts, as well as sermons for feasts, in praise of saints, and apologetic discourses.
Apostle Paul and St. John Chrysostom. Byzantine miniature
While St. John was working on commentaries on the Epistles of Paul, he prayed that God would reveal whether this labour was pleasing to Him. One night, as Chrysostom was writing commentaries in his cell, a disgraced prince came to him seeking his aid and protection. Chrysostom’s cell attendant, Proclus (who would later become a saint and Patriarch of Constantinople himself), peeking into the saint’s cell, saw someone standing next to the seated archbishop, whispering something in his ear. Noting that the visitor did not leave the saint’s cell, Proclus told the petitioner to come back the following night. However, the unknown visitor appeared in Chrysostom’s cell on the second and third nights as well.
Three days later, St. John himself remembered the prince with whom he had arranged a meeting and inquired about him with Proclus. Proclus replied, “He has come to you every night for the past three nights, but seeing you engaged with someone else, I was astonished and afraid to disturb you.” Chrysostom, filled with wonder, asked his cell attendant how the man looked and what he was wearing. Proclus described him and, turning to the image of the Apostle Paul that hung in the cell, said, “Father! The one I saw speaking with you resembles him, and I even think it was him.” Thus, St. John became convinced that the Apostle Paul himself desired him to be the interpreter of his writings and was assisting him in this task.
St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople. Fresco from the Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas in Meteora, Greece. 1527. Iconographer Theophanes the Cretan
In 397, St. John was summoned from Antioch to become Archbishop of Constantinople. The wish of St. Gregory the Theologian was fulfilled, who, upon leaving the See of Constantinople, had requested that a worthy man, a strong fighter for Orthodoxy, be appointed in his place. Of St. John, it was said: “He was not at all afraid of men, because he feared God.” He knew no compromise with conscience and did not silence his lips when speech was necessary. His stern, fiery, yet love-infused words exposed and illuminated the ancient world, which called itself Christian but was steeped in lawlessness. These words sparked a revival of spiritual vigour, steering souls towards spiritual revival.
The saint began his tenure by addressing the moral shortcomings of the capital’s clergy, who had previously led a lavish lifestyle. Reducing the expenses of the archbishop’s court, he established hospitals and guesthouses for pilgrims. The city’s inhabitants revered famous charioteers much like today’s sports stars or race car drivers. St. John fought against this fascination both in Antioch and in Constantinople. He was particularly disturbed when, on Good Friday, the hippodrome was more crowded than the nearby Hagia Sophia.
In Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom found himself in a protracted struggle with the court of Emperor Arcadius. In 395, the emperor married the astute and beautiful daughter of a military commander of Frankish descent, Aelia Eudoxia. Initially, Eudoxia was favourably disposed towards St. John. However, their relationship gradually deteriorated.
On one occasion, the empress ordered the confiscation of property belonging to the widow and children of a disgraced nobleman — a small vineyard adjacent to the imperial palace. John rose to their defence and dedicated one of his sermons to the Israelite Queen Jezebel, who had persuaded King Ahab to seize Naboth’s vineyard. The empress, unmoved, grew increasingly resentful of the archbishop. The conflict escalated, and through intrigue and slander, the saint was ultimately exiled by imperial decree.
The road to exile of St. John Chrysostom
During this turbulent time, the saint found the strength to sustain and fortify his grieving spiritual children. In a letter, he wrote: “Therefore, do not lose heart. For only one thing is truly fearsome, Olympias, only one temptation, namely — sin… all else is but a fable, whether you point to plots, or to hatred, or to treachery, to false accusations, or insults and indictments, to the seizure of property, or exile, or sharpened swords, or the depths of the sea, or war across the entire universe. However formidable these may seem, they are all temporary, fleeting, and affect only the mortal body, harming not at all the sober soul.”
Exile of St. John Chrysostom to Comana. Byzantine miniature, 10th century.
The saint was initially banished to Cyzicus, where conditions, though harsh, were bearable. Then came his transfer to Pitius (modern-day Pitsunda). The guards, under unofficial orders, maintained a gruelling pace, showing no mercy, intending that the frail archbishop would not survive. And so it came to pass. St. John Chrysostom breathed his last in Comana, never reaching Pitius, on 14 September 407.
“Lips that utter no complaint in the face of sorrow are akin to the lips of the holy martyrs.”
St. John Chrysostom
Monastery of John Chrysostom in Comana, Abkhazia. The name “Comana” translates to “holy place”
The saint was laid to rest in Comana. Over time, a monastery arose at the site of his repose, near the chapel of the martyr Basiliscus. To this day, it stands, preserving as a sacred relic the stone tomb where the saint’s much-suffering body found peace from worldly sorrows and toils.
Sarcophagus where John Chrysostom rested until 438. Located in the Comana church dedicated to the saint
Almost 80 years passed before the exiled saint could return to his flock. Saint Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople and a disciple of Chrysostom, led the translation of the saint’s relics. In a sermon at the Hagia Sophia, he likened Saint John to the Forerunner of the Lord, who also preached repentance and suffered for it. The people urged him to persuade the emperor to bring their beloved hierarch’s relics back to the capital. Theodosius II remembered his childhood: as an infant, he had been held by Saint John Chrysostom. During a disagreement between St. John and Bishop Severian of Gabala, Empress Eudoxia had once placed the young heir to the throne in the archbishop’s arms, beseeching him to reconcile for the sake of her son. Theodosius II consented to the translation of the saint’s relics to Constantinople and even penned a letter of repentance to St. John, both on his own behalf and on behalf of his mother, Eudoxia, who had passed away during the saint’s lifetime in 404.
The translation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom to Constantinople in 438 AD. Miniature from the Menologion of Basil II, 985 AD
The saint’s relics were transported from Comana by ship and initially placed in the Church of Hagia Irene, where the Second Ecumenical Council had once gathered. Later, they were solemnly moved to the Church of the Holy Apostles, joining the relics of the apostles and the resting places of emperors. There, beside the episcopal throne, the casket was reverently placed, and the assembled people cried out in unison, “Take back your throne, Father!” Tradition holds that a gentle voice of the saint responded, “Peace to all.”
The Church celebrates the saint’s return, now in his revered relics, to his archpastoral seat on 9 February.
In 1204, a significant portion of the relics of Sts. Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom was plundered from the Church of the Holy Apostles by the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade. The relics ended up in Rome. They remain enshrined today in dedicated chapels within St. Peter’s Basilica. However, in 2004, the Roman Catholic Church offered an apology for the sack of Constantinople, and Pope John Paul II separated a portion of the saints’ relics, handing them over to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Today, they are safeguarded in the Patriarchate, within the Cathedral of St. George.
Reliquary with the relics of St. John Chrysostom in the Cathedral of St. George, Istanbul
St. John Chrysostom is venerated as the creator of the edition of the Divine Liturgy which is celebrated most frequently throughout the year in the Orthodox Church. Therefore, his icon can often be found in churches on the Royal Doors, in the sanctuary, or in the iconostasis among the hierarchy of saints, alongside other Church Fathers.
Apse mosaic of Saint Sophia of Kiev, with Saint John Chrysostom in the centre
To bestow special honour upon the saint’s repose, the Church commemorates this event on 26 November, as 27 September is dedicated to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Though persecuted in life and exiled in death, Saint John Chrysostom today stands among the most beloved and venerated saints worldwide. For Christians of every generation, Chrysostom embodies far more than eloquence or rhetorical skill. The final words uttered by the saint in his earthly life have become the motto of hundreds of thousands of ascetics: “Glory be to God for all things!”
Prepared by the editorial team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs drawn from the internet
Sources:
1. The Way of the Cross of John Chrysostom / [Author-compiler Olga Vasilyevna Orlova]. — Moscow: Adres-Press, 2001.
2. “St. John Chrysostom” (pravoslavnaya-biblioteka.ru)
3. “Orthodox Apologist — 9th of February — the day of the translation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, from the city of Comana in Abkhazia to Constantinople” (apologet.spb.ru)
4. “St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople” (petrpavelhram — LiveJournal)
