St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople

Forms of name: John

St. John Chrysostom was born in Antioch about the year 347. He excelled in secular studies but preferred study of Holy Scripture and prayerful contemplation. He was guided in the faith by his mother and by St Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, who baptized St. John in 367.

St. John later studied the ascetical life under the presbyters Flavian and Diodorus of Tarsus. He embraced monasticism after the death of his mother, spent four years in the wilderness under an experienced spiritual guide, and for two years he lived in a cave in silence, but he was forced to return to Antioch to recover his health.

In 386 Bishop Flavian of Antioch ordained St. John to the priesthood. St. John was a gifted preacher, and his oratory earned him the name "Chrysostom" (meaning "Golden-Mouthed"). For twelve years the saint preached in church, usually twice a week, but sometimes daily; he wrote commentaries and sets of homilies on entire books of the Holy Scriptures, plus many homilies on individual passages of Scripture, instructions on the Feast days, laudations on the Saints, and apologetic homilies.

In 397, with the death of Archbishop Nectarius of Constantinople, St. John was summoned from Antioch and elected to the See of Constantinople. Here his denunciations of the lax morals in the capitol earned him the enmity of Empress Eudoxia, who twice had him exiled from Constantinople. He reposed at Comana on September 14, 407, during his second exile.

The holy relics of St. John Chrysostom were solemnly transferred from Comana to Constantinople in the year 438, and placed in the Church of Holy Peace (Hagia Eirene). Although he reposed on Sept. 14, his feast was moved to Nov. 13 because of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Commemorated:

Online Resources:

Available at ArchangelsBooks.com:

Available at Amazon.com:

 
 
Saints of the Orthodox Church