Saint John Chrysostom, a luminary of the world, a teacher of the universe, a pillar and support of the Church, and a preacher of repentance, hailed from Syrian Antioch and was born around 347. His parents, Secundus and Anthusa, belonged to the best of Antioch's society and professed the Christian faith. Secundus was a military commander and held an honorable position; however, he could not influence his son's upbringing, as he died while John was still a young child. Therefore, all care for John's upbringing fell to his mother, the pious Anthusa. Having lost her husband at a very young age (she was then about twenty years old), she did not wish to remarry, but devoted herself entirely to her son's upbringing. It was from her that the young John received his first lessons in Christian truths and piety.
Having established her son in the Christian faith, Anthusa gave him to the sophist Libanius and the philosopher Andragathius to study rhetoric and philosophy . Then, when John reached the age of eighteen, not yet enlightened by holy baptism, which, according to the custom of the time, was received in adulthood, he was sent to Athens to perfect his rhetoric and philosophy. Studying here, John soon surpassed his peers and many philosophers in wisdom, having mastered all the Greek books and sciences, and became a wise philosopher and eloquent orator.
In Athens, he had a very malicious adversary in the philosopher Anthemius. Envious of John's good reputation, Anthemius slandered him, inciting hatred against him in others. But the saint, with God's help, brought his adversary to shame and, in the process, converted many to Christ. This happened in the following way. When Anthemius, in a dispute with John, began uttering blasphemous words against our Lord Jesus Christ, an unclean spirit suddenly attacked him and began to torment him. Anthemius fell to the ground, writhing and twisting his entire body, his mouth wide open, foam flowing from it. Seeing this, everyone around him was horrified, and many fled in fear. Those who remained begged John to forgive and heal the possessed man. John replied:
“If he does not repent and believe in Christ God, Whom he blasphemed, he will not be healed.
Anthimius immediately exclaimed:
“I confess that neither in heaven nor on earth is there another God except the One whom John confesses.
As he spoke this, the unclean spirit left him, and Anthimius rose up healthy. All the people who witnessed this miracle cried out:
– Great is the Christian God! He alone works miracles!
Saint John, having forbidden Anthemius to blaspheme the Son of God and having taught him the true faith, sent him to the bishop of Athens, where Anthemius and his entire family received holy baptism from him. Along with Anthemius, many of the leading citizens also believed and were baptized. Having learned that it was through John's mediation that the Greeks had been converted to Christ, the bishop decided to ordain John and retain him in Athens, so that after the bishop's death (since he was already quite old), John would assume the episcopal see. Blessed John, realizing this, secretly departed Athens and returned to his homeland of Antioch.
Disdaining the empty glory of this vain world and all worldly honors, he resolved to embrace the humble monastic life and labor for God, clothed in angelic form. Saint John was also encouraged to do this by his friend Basil , a native of the same Antioch. Spending their childhood together, they studied under the same teachers and nurtured a strong love for each other, as they were akin in soul and shared a similar character. Basil, having initially taken up the monastic life himself, advised his peer, Saint John, to choose the monastic life as well.
Heeding his good advice, John wanted to immediately retire to a monastery and become a monk, but was restrained by his mother. Upon learning of John's intention, she began to speak to him tearfully:
"Child! My life with your father did not long bring me joy. With his death, by Divine providence, came your orphanhood and my widowhood. But no misfortune could force me to remarry or bring another husband into your father's house. With God's help, I patiently endured the misfortune of widowhood, receiving great comfort and consolation from the constant contemplation of your face, which resembled my father's. Moreover, I did not squander your father's property, but preserved it intact for your needs. So, I beg you, my child, do not plunge me into a second widowhood and do not rekindle the grief for your father that has subsided within me by your departure, but await my death, which I await day by day. When you bury me beside your father's bones, then do as you wish. Now stay with me and wait a little while I am still alive."
Influenced by his mother's requests, John resolved not to leave home for a while. However, even while he remained at home, he exchanged his light clothes for humble ones and began to lead a solitary life, spending his time in prayer and studying the word of God. During this time, John became close to Meletius, Bishop of Antioch , a man of great stature. He persuaded John to accept baptism quickly and, having baptized him, ordained him a reader. John held this position for three years. During this time, John's mother died. After burying her, John immediately distributed all his property to the needy, freed his male and female slaves, and settled in a monastery (7342) and became a monk, laboring day and night with great labors and asceticism for the Lord. Here he wrote the books "On the Priesthood" and "On Spiritual Contrition," which contain much useful material, and "Epistle to the Fallen Monk Theodore . "
Saint John was given the gift of teaching and the grace of the Holy Spirit by God, which was revealed to a monk named Hesychius, who lived in that monastery. Although he was old in years and perfect in virtue, Hesychius possessed the gift of clairvoyance. One night, while he was awake and praying, he was transported in his mind and beheld the following vision. Two splendid men, dressed in white robes and shining like the sun, descended from heaven, approached blessed John as he stood in prayer. One of them held a scroll covered with writing, and the other, keys. Seeing them, John was confused and hastened to bow to the ground before them. Meanwhile, the men, taking John by the hand, raised him up, saying:
– Trust and do not fear!
John asked them:
- Who are you, my gentlemen?
They immediately answered him:
"Fear not, man of desires, a new Daniel , into whom, for the sake of purity of heart, the Holy Spirit has deigned to dwell! We are sent to you by the Great Teacher, our Savior Jesus Christ."
After these words, one of the men who appeared extended his hand and gave John a scroll, saying:
"Take this scroll from my hand! I am John , who reclined on the Lord's bosom during the Last Supper and received divine revelations from Him. 7344 The Lord grants you also knowledge of the full depth of wisdom, so that you may nourish people with the unfading bread of Christ's teaching and with your mouth shut the mouths of heretics and Jews who blaspheme God."
The other one, extending his hand to John, handed him the keys with the words:
"Take these keys, for I am Peter , to whom the keys of the Kingdom have been entrusted. The Lord also gives you the keys of the holy churches, so that whomever you bind will be bound, and whomever you loose will be loosed."
Blessed John again bowed his knees and bowed to the Apostles who had appeared with the words:
“Who am I, a sinner and the least of all people, that I dare to take upon myself and carry out such a great and terrible service?
But the holy Apostles who appeared again took him by the right hand and set him on his feet, saying:
– Stand on your feet, take courage, be strong, and do what our Lord Jesus Christ calls you to do, for the sanctification and strengthening of His people, for whose salvation He shed His blood. Teach the word of God; with boldness remember the Lord who said: “Fear not, little flock! For it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” ( Luke 12:32 ) . So do not fear, for Christ our God is pleased through you to sanctify many souls and bring them to the knowledge of Him. For righteousness’ sake you will experience many calamities and sorrows, but endure them like a strong adamant , for in this way you will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Having said this, the men who had appeared made the sign of the cross over John and, kissing him in the name of the Lord, departed. Saint Hesychius related what he had seen to the other brothers, experienced in ascetic struggles, and they marveled and glorified God, Who secretly has His servants struggling. Hesychius forbade them to tell anyone about the vision, lest John learn of it and leave them, lest they be deprived of the companionship of such a great saint of God.
Blessed John tirelessly sought his own salvation, laboring in word and deed. His own ascetic struggles were successful, and he inspired others to strive for the heavenly, mortifying their flesh and enslaving it to the spirit. Laboring in a God-pleasing manner in the monastery, the blessed one performed many miracles during this time.
A certain resident of Antioch, of wealthy and distinguished family, suffered from a severe headache, so severe that his right eye had fallen out and was now hanging on his cheek. Having given much of his wealth to skilled physicians, he received no relief. Then, hearing of Saint John, he came to his monastery. Approaching the saint, he embraced his feet, kissing them and asking for healing.
Saint John said to him:
"Such illnesses befall people because of their sins and lack of faith. So, if you believe with all your soul that Christ is able to heal you, and you abandon your sins, you will see the glory of God."
The patient answered:
“I believe, Father, and I will do everything you command me.”
Having said this, he seized the garment of Blessed John and placed it on his own head and on his aching eye. The illness immediately ceased, the eye returned to its proper position, and the man became healthy, as if he had never been ill. Praising God, he returned home.
Another man named Archelaus, an elder in the city of Antioch, who suffered from leprosy on his face, came to Saint John asking for healing. After instructing him in the truths of the faith, John commanded him to wash his forehead with the water the brethren of the monastery drank. Having done this, the sick man was cleansed of his leprosy and, leaving the world, became a monk.
Another man named Euclius, blind in his right eye since childhood, came to the monastery where Blessed John was and took monastic vows. John said to him:
– May God heal you, brother, and enlighten your spiritual and physical eyes.
As soon as the saint uttered these words, Euclius's blind eye suddenly regained its sight, and the sick man was able to see clearly. Seeing this miracle, the brethren were amazed and said:
– Truly John is a servant of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in him.
A woman named Christina, bleeding, begged her husband to take her to Saint John. Having placed his wife on a donkey, the husband went to the monastery and left her before the monastery gates. He then entered the saint's presence and begged him to heal his wife of her illness. Saint John said to the man:
"Tell your wife to change her evil nature and stop being cruel to her slaves, remembering that she, too, was created from the same clay as them . 7347 And let her take care of her soul, giving alms to the poor and not abandoning prayer. Also, abstain and keep yourself pure on fast and holy days, and God will grant your wife healing."
Having departed, the husband told his wife everything he had heard from the saint. She vowed to keep all the commandments with all diligence until her last breath. The husband returned to the saint and told him of his wife's vow. The saint responded:
"Go in peace! The Lord has already healed her." Returning to his wife, the husband found her healed, and they joyfully returned home, glorifying God.
It happened that at that time, not far from the monastery where John labored, a ferocious lion appeared, prowling the roads and devouring people and livestock. Many times, residents of nearby villages gathered and lay in wait for the beast with weapons and arrows, hoping to kill it, but each time to no avail. Emerging from the oak grove, the beast attacked the people with fury, killing many, wounding others so severely that they barely escaped, and carrying some alive to its lair, where it devoured them. Coming to John, the neighboring villagers reported this to him and begged him to aid them with his prayers. John gave the petitioners a wooden cross, commanding them to erect it at the spot from which the beast emerged. They did so, and after several days, they noticed that the beast had not appeared. Then the villagers went to the cross and saw the lion's corpse there. Delivered from such a disaster by the power of the Cross, through the prayers of Saint John, they rejoiced and glorified the saint of God.
John remained in that monastery for four years. Then, desiring greater solitude, he secretly withdrew from there into the desert, found a cave there, and remained there for two years, living alone.
After two years, exhausted by his arduous struggles and suffering from the cold, John fell ill, unable to care for himself. He was therefore forced to leave the desert and return to Antioch. This occurred through God's providence and thought for the Church, so that such a lamp would not be hidden in the desert, as if under a bushel, but would shine for all. The Lord allowed John to fall ill, thus leading him from his life among the wild beasts to living with people, so that he might be useful not only to himself but also to others.
When Blessed John arrived in Antioch, His Holiness Patriarch Meletius received him joyfully, gave him lodgings, ordered him to reside with him, and soon ordained him to the rank of deacon. He served in this capacity for six years, adorning the Church of God with his virtuous life and edifying writings. During his time as deacon, Saint John wrote the following works: "The Book on Virginity," "To a Young Widow," and on the defense of the faith: "A Sermon on Blessed Babylas, as well as Against Julian and to the Pagans . "
At this time, Saint Meletius was required to travel to Constantinople to install Saint Gregory of Nazianzus as patriarch . Soon after arriving there, Saint Meletius reposed in the Lord. Upon hearing of his patriarch's death, John again left Antioch and withdrew to the monastery where he had originally resided. The monks rejoiced at his return and held a spiritual celebration, accepting his customary teachings. Pleasing God in silence, John remained there for three years.
Flavian occupied the throne of the Church of Antioch in 7349. While he was standing in prayer one night, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said:
“Tomorrow go to the monastery where the saint of God, John, resides, bring him from there to the city and ordain him as a priest, for he is a chosen vessel of God, and God desires to convert many to the true faith through him.
At the same time, an angel appeared to Saint John, as he was customarily performing his nightly prayers in his cell, and commanded him to go with Flavian to the city and receive his ordination. With the dawn of day, the patriarch arrived at the monastery; all the monks came out to meet him, along with Saint John. Bowing, they received the patriarch's blessing, and then, with due honor, led him into the church. Having celebrated the Holy Liturgy and administered all the Divine Mysteries, the patriarch bestowed peace upon the brethren and, taking John with him, withdrew to the city. The monks wept inconsolably, parting from the holy saint of God.
The next morning, John was ordained a priest. When the patriarch laid his hand on his head, a white, shining dove suddenly appeared and flew over Saint John's head. Patriarch Flavian and all those present in the temple were terrified and marveled for a long time. Word of this miracle spread throughout Antioch, Syria, and the surrounding cities, and all who heard it said:
- What will happen to John? For behold, from the very beginning the glory of the Lord appeared upon him!
As a priest, John devoted himself even more zealously to the salvation of human souls. Once or twice a week, and sometimes even daily, he taught the people in church, delivering sermons from the pulpit. It happened that, after delivering a sermon in one church, he walked, tired, to the cathedral where the bishop was serving, and the bishop, fulfilling the general desire, commissioned him to deliver another sermon. During his priesthood, Saint John delivered numerous sermons, some of which have survived. From the heights of the church pulpit, he zealously expounded on the Holy Scriptures. He composed highly edifying commentaries on many books of the Old Testament, the Gospels of Matthew and John, and the Acts of the Apostles. He especially loved the epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles , and he expounded many of them to the people in his homilies.
Saint John Chrysostom often delivered his sermons orally, which greatly amazed all the inhabitants of Antioch, who praised the blessed one, for until then no one had preached the Word of God without a book or notebook. John was the first such preacher among them. His teachings were filled with such power that all who listened could not suffice to enjoy them. Therefore, many scribes recorded John's sermons on charters and , copying them, passed them on to others. His teachings were read at meals and in the squares, and listeners learned from his words orally, as if they were reading the Psalter. John was such a sweet-spoken orator and a teacher beloved by all that there was not a single person in the city who did not wish to hear his discourses, and when they learned that John wished to speak, everyone joyfully flocked to the church. City rulers and judges abandoned their occupations, merchants their trades, artisans their businesses, and hurried to listen to John's teaching, taking care not to miss a single word that came from his lips. Everyone considered it a great loss when they were unable to hear John's sweet words. This is why he was given various laudatory titles. Some called him "the mouth of God and Christ," others "the sweet-tongued," and still others "the honey-tongued."
It happened that the blessed one, especially at the beginning of his priesthood, delivered sermons whose content was not always comprehensible to his less educated listeners. One day, a certain woman, listening and not understanding what was said, raised her voice among the crowd and said to John:
– Spiritual teacher, or rather I would call him John Chrysostom , the well of your holy teaching is deep, but the ropes of our minds are short and cannot reach its depth.
Then many of the people said:
– God himself, through the mouth of a woman, gave this name to John; let him from now on be called Chrysostom.
Indeed, from that time until now the Church has retained this name for John.
Having decided that it would be inappropriate to deliver complex teachings to the people, Saint John from then on strove to embellish his discourses not with elaborate eloquence, but with simple and moralizing words, so that even the most humble listener might understand and benefit. While instructing the residents of Antioch in the Christian faith and life, Saint John Chrysostom also served as a comforter to his fellow citizens during times of public distress.
In Antioch, following the imposition of a tax that was oppressive to the city's poor, a popular uprising erupted. The enraged mob tore down the statues of the emperor and his family that stood in the city, smashing them to pieces. But soon, horror and despair gave way to furious rage. The Antiochians began to await the emperor's wrath against the rebels. Heeding the people's pleas, the pious Saint Flavian of Antioch went to the emperor to intercede for the guilty city; he left Saint John in the city to console and heal the suffering souls. Lent had begun, which was truly a time of repentance and sorrow for the Antiochians. Daily, the luminary of God, John, entered the church pulpit and addressed the people with powerful words of consolation and edification. He sometimes bolstered the people's steadfastness and courage, sometimes revived their hopes for the emperor's mercy, sometimes inspired them with hope for the future. At the same time, he denounced the vices of his fellow citizens: the avarice of the rich, greed, debauchery, hypocrisy, cruelty, and superstition. He said that through these vices the Antiochians had brought such misfortune upon the city, and he urged them to reform. Never, perhaps, had Great Lent been observed with such strictness, never had it been celebrated with such a penitential feeling that permeated all the inhabitants. The people flocked to church and eagerly listened to Chrysostom's speeches, finding in them relief from their sorrow. Meanwhile, Saint Flavian appeared before the emperor with a defense, and the Christian emperor forgave those who had insulted the highest authority. News of the pardon was brought by Flavian just before Easter. On the very first day of the feast, Saint John announced the good news to the people and concluded by saying:
– Rejoice with spiritual joy, thank God not only for the end of the disasters, but also for the fact that He sent them.
In speaking thus, Saint John had in mind the significance of the ceased calamities for arousing in the Antiochians a feeling of repentance and awakening of spiritual life.
The saint of God was a powerful man not only in word but also in deed. By the power of Christ, he performed miracles, healing the sick. Here are some of the saint's miracles.
A woman named Euclius had an only son who had fallen ill with a fever and was already dying. Coming to the saint, Euclius begged him to heal the sick man. John took some water, made the sign of the Holy Cross over it three times, in the name of the Holy Trinity, and sprinkled it on the sick man. The fever immediately ceased, and the sick man, rising healthy, bowed before the saint.
The commander of the fortress in Antioch was a follower of the Marcionite heresy (7352) , who caused much harm to the pious. His wife was afflicted with a terrible illness, which no medicine could eradicate. When the severe illness grew worse day by day, the commander of the fortress summoned the heretics to his home, begging them to help his wife. The heretics prayed for the sick woman with great fervor for three days or more, but were unsuccessful. Then the wife said to her husband:
"I heard of a certain priest named John, who lives with Bishop Flavian. He is a disciple of Christ, and if he asks God for anything, God will grant it to him. I beg you, take me to him so that he may pray for my recovery, for I have heard that he works many miracles. The Marcionites are of no help to me at all, and this clearly shows their impiety. For if they had the true faith, God would have heard their prayer."
The husband obeyed his wife and went with her to the Orthodox Church. But, being a heretic, he did not dare bring her inside. Instead, he placed her before the church doors and sent her to Bishop Flavian and Presbyter John, asking them to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ for the health of his gravely ill wife. The bishop, coming out to them with John, said:
“If you renounce your heresy and join the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, you will receive healing from Christ God.
When they had done this, John ordered water to be brought and asked Flavian to make the sign of the cross over it. Flavian fulfilled the saint's request. John ordered the water to be poured over the sick woman, and she immediately arose healthy, glorifying God. After this wondrous miracle, the commander of the fortress, along with his wife, joined the Holy Church. There was great joy among the Orthodox over this joining; the heretics, however, were greatly perturbed and angry with John, spreading blasphemies and slanders against him everywhere, claiming that he was a sorcerer and a magician. But God soon stopped their mouths, bringing upon them a cruel punishment. It happened in this way.
During a great earthquake in Antioch, the temple where the heretics had gathered collapsed; a great multitude perished beneath the ruins. Not a single Orthodox Christian perished in the earthquake. Seeing this, not only the surviving heretics but also the pagans recognized the power of Christ and, guided by Saint John, turned to the true God.
After the death of Patriarch Nektarios of Constantinople ( 7353) , the successor of Gregory Nazianzus, it was difficult to find a man worthy of the patriarchal throne. Then Emperor Arcadius was informed of John (for his fame had spread far and wide). The emperor immediately sent a letter to Flavian commanding him to release the saint to Constantinople. The people of Antioch, learning of this and filled with love for John, gathered at the church. Unwilling to lose their teacher, the people resisted the emperor's envoys, ignored the admonitions of their patriarch, and refused to allow John to be taken away. Furthermore, the saint himself was unwilling to go to Constantinople, having humbly decided that he was unworthy of the patriarchal rank. Upon learning of this, the emperor was astonished and became even more eager to see John on the patriarchal throne. He ordered the governor of the East, Asterius, to secretly take John away from Antioch, which was done.
As John approached Constantinople, the entire city came out to meet him, along with a multitude of dignitaries sent by the Emperor. The Emperor, along with the Holy Synod of hierarchs and the people, greeted Saint John with honor, and everyone rejoiced at the elevation of this luminary of the Church to the patriarchal throne.
Only Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria (7354) and his associates were not pleased. He envied John's fame and, hating him, contemplated elevating his subordinate priest Isidore to the patriarchal throne. But this did not prevent the convening of a council, by whose decree Saint John was elected to the patriarchate.
The blessed one was enthroned as patriarch on February 26, 398. The king, followed by all the princes and nobles, came to John, desiring a blessing from the newly appointed patriarch. After praying for the king and the people and blessing everyone, John opened his God-speaking lips and offered a edifying sermon, instructing the king to remain steadfast in Orthodoxy, to eschew heretics, to attend church frequently, and to be just and merciful. He said:
“Let your piety know that I will not be afraid, when the need arises, to speak instructions and reproofs for the benefit of your soul, just as the prophet Nathan was not afraid to rebuke the sins of King David 7355 .
John also instructed all spiritual and secular rulers and their subordinates to fulfill their duties faithfully. His edifying words delighted all who listened. While John was conversing with his flock, a demon-possessed man appeared among the people. In a fit, he threw himself to the ground and began screaming terribly, terrifying everyone in the church. Blessed John commanded him to be brought to him, made the sign of the cross over him, and, having cast out the unclean spirit, restored the possessed man to health. Seeing this, the king and all the people rejoiced and glorified God, who had granted them such a great luminary—a physician of soul and body.
Having assumed the ecclesiastical administration, His Holiness Patriarch John zealously shepherded the flock of Christ, rooting out evil customs among people of every rank (especially among the clergy), eliminating impurity, envy, untruth, and every deed ungodly. At the same time, he instilled moral purity, love, justice, and mercy, instilling virtues in hearts, and with his golden-tongued lips instructed all in piety. Moral vices deeply offended Saint John, but sincere repentance compelled him to forgive all.
One day, just before Easter, John was grieved by the unworthy behavior of the people he so loved and for whose spiritual well-being he so cared. On Wednesday of Holy Week, a terrible storm arose. The frightened people rushed to churches, seeking God's mercy; public prayers and religious processions began. The disaster passed, and already on Good Friday and Saturday, the people, forgetting God's visitation, indulged in joyful spectacles at the circus and theater. Deeply indignant, the holy shepherd addressed his ungrateful flock on the first day of Easter with his famous discourse, "Against spectacles." "Can this be tolerated? Can it be tolerated? I complain of you yourselves," the blessed saint began this discourse. Clearly and intelligibly, he described the destructive effects of the theater on morality and threatened those found guilty with excommunication. The convincing word of the holy preacher made a strong impression on the people who loved him and caused sincere repentance.
Not only in Constantinople but also in all the surrounding cities and villages, the holy saint of God had great concern for the salvation of human souls. He sent experienced, God-fearing men from among his clergy to strengthen Orthodoxy by preaching the word of God, to eradicate impiety and heresy, and to guide the lost to the path of salvation. He completely destroyed the pagan temples that had stood for many centuries in Phoenicia . He wisely converted the Celtic people, infected with Arianism, to the Orthodox faith , ordering the priests and deacons chosen for this purpose to learn the Celtic language and sending them to the Celts to preach piety in their native dialect. In the same way, John enlightened the Scythians , who lived along the Danube. He expelled the Marcionite heresy from the eastern lands and illuminated the entire world with the light of true teaching.
John especially cared for the weak and needy, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and providing for orphans and widows. For the comfort of the sick and wanderers who had nowhere to lay their heads, he established numerous hospitals, supplied the sick with everything they needed, assigned servants and doctors, and entrusted two God-fearing priests to care for them. At the same time, he diligently cared for church governance, lovingly strengthening the good and punishing and rebuking the wicked.
During the patriarchate of St. John Chrysostom, many followers of the Arian heresy remained in Constantinople, freely confessing their faith and performing their religious services. The saint pondered how to cleanse the city of this heresy, and seizing an opportune moment, he said to the emperor:
"Pious King! If someone were to place a simple, dark, and impure stone in your crown, along with the precious stones it contains, would it not dishonor the entire crown?"
The king replied:
- Yes, that's right.
John continued:
"This city, too, has been dishonored, for although it is Orthodox, it still counts among its inhabitants the infidel Arians. And just as you, O Emperor, would be angry at the dishonor of your crown, so Almighty God is angry at this city, defiled by the Arian heresy. Therefore, you must either bring the heretics to the unity of the faith or expel them from the city."
Having heard John's words, the king ordered all the Arian leaders to be brought before him immediately and commanded them to confess their faith in the presence of the patriarch. They began to speak words full of impiety and blasphemy against our Lord Jesus Christ. The king then ordered them expelled from the city.
After some time, the Arians, aided and assisted by dignitaries serving in the royal palace, began to enter the city again on Sundays, approaching their cathedral with heretical hymns with which they blasphemed the Holy Trinity. Upon learning of this, His Holiness Patriarch John, fearing that any of the common people might participate in these public Arian prayers, ordered his clergy to march through the city in sacred vestments, singing hymns in praise of the Holy Trinity, composed in opposition to the Arian blasphemous songs. For these processions, silver crosses on poles were constructed, which were solemnly carried through the city along with holy icons, preceded by lighted candles. Thus, religious processions first arose. The solemn religious processions of the Orthodox distracted the people from the Arian public prayers they held in the squares. Enraged by this, the Arians attacked the Orthodox during one of these marches and caused a massacre. Several men on both sides fell dead in the fray, and the royal eunuch Brison, who was among the Orthodox, had his head crushed with a stone. Upon learning of this, the emperor became extremely angry with the Arians and forbade them to perform their public prayers and enter the city. Thus, heretical blasphemy was finally banished from the imperial city.
In Constantinople lived a certain commander, a barbarian by birth, named Gainas. He was brave in war and enjoyed the emperor's favor, but at the same time he shared the heretical views of Arius. He earnestly begged the emperor to grant the Arians a church in the city. The emperor was at a loss as to how to respond, for he did not wish to offend him with a refusal, fearing that Gainas, a wicked and ferocious man, would stir up some kind of rebellion in the Greek kingdom. Therefore, the emperor reported Gainas' request to the holy Patriarch John.
John said to the king:
- Call me to you at the time when Gaina asks for a temple for herself, and I will answer for you.
And so, the next day, when the patriarch was summoned to the royal chambers and sat with the king, Gaina began to ask the king for a church in Constantinople for the Arian community. He asked for this as due recompense for his labors and bravery during the wars.
Great John remarked to him:
“If you, Gaina, want to pray in a church, then go into whichever one you want and pray, because all the churches in the city are open to you.
Gaina said to this:
"But I am of a different faith; that is why I, along with my like-minded followers, desire to have a separate divine temple in the city, and I beg the Tsar to fulfill my request. I have endured much labor, fighting for the Greek kingdom, shed my blood, and laid down my life for the Tsar."
John answered:
"For your labors, you have received a reward: great honor from the Tsar, glory, rank, and gifts. You should reflect on what you were before and what you are now. How you were once poor and inglorious, and how you have now become rich and famous; what rank you held while living on the other side of the Danube, and what is yours now. Then you were one of the simple and poor villagers, dressed in meager clothes and subsisting on nothing but bread and water, and now you are a respected and celebrated commander, clad in precious garments, possessing much gold and silver, countless estates—and you possess all this thanks to the Tsar. This is the reward you have received for your labors!"
Be grateful and continue to serve the Greek kingdom faithfully, but do not ask for Divine rewards for worldly service.
Shamed by these words, Gaina fell silent and no longer asked for the temple. The king marveled at John's wisdom, who with a few words could silence the insolent barbarian, filled with unbridled ferocity.
After a year, Gainas rebelled against the king and, gathering a large army, went to war against Constantinople. The king, unwilling to shed blood, begged Saint John to come out and pacify him with gentle words. John, though he remembered that he had angered Gainas by forbidding him to hold an Arian meeting place in the city, nevertheless, being ready to lay down his life for the sheep, went to the proud barbarian. God helped His servant, and with his words John pacified the beast-like man, turning him from a wolf into a sheep, and, having reconciled him with the king, returned.
After this, in the winter, Saint John, despite ill health, went to Asia Minor to arrange church affairs. There, many bishops were selling their priesthoods, taking money for ordination (7359) ; such was, for example, Anthony, Metropolitan of Ephesus (7360 ). Saint John deposed many bishops in Asia Minor guilty of simony (7361) and removed from office both those who had ordained them for money and those who had been ordained. In their place, he appointed more worthy ones. Having established order in Asia Minor, Saint John returned to Constantinople.
Living amidst the world in such high rank, the blessed one nevertheless never abandoned his early monastic endeavors. He spent his free time either in prayer or reading divine books, secluded in his solitary cell. Always observing strict fasting and abstinence in all things, he ate only barley bread and water; he slept very little, and even then not on a bed, but standing. He never attended feasts or parties. He devoted his entire mind to understanding Divine Scripture, continuing to compose commentaries on the epistles of the holy Apostle Paul, whose icon he kept in his cell. At this time, he expounded to the people the Epistle of the Apostle to the Colossians, and somewhat later, to the Philippians, Thessalonians, and Hebrews.
While writing commentaries on these epistles, Saint John experienced the following perplexity:
– Who knows whether this is pleasing to God? Have I understood the power of this Holy Scripture or not?
And he began to pray to God that He would tell him of this. God heard the prayer of His servant and gave him the following sign. One night, locked in his cell, Saint John was writing a commentary by a lighted candle. At this time, Proclus, who served him, at the request of a certain man begging for help, wanted to enter the patriarch. But first, Proclus looked through the keyhole in the door to see what the patriarch was doing. He saw him sitting and writing, and a certain elderly, venerable man, standing behind him, leaned toward the patriarch's ear and spoke quietly to him. This man in every way resembled the image of Saint Paul on the icon hanging before John on the wall of his cell. Proclus began to wait until this man left. But when the time came for the matins bell to ring, the man became invisible. Proclus observed the same thing over the next two nights. Finally, he dared to ask the patriarch himself:
- Master, who talks to you at night?
John answered:
- I didn't have anyone.
Then Proclus told him in detail how he had seen through the keyhole an old, venerable man whispering in the patriarch's ear while he was writing; Proclus also described the appearance and face of the man who had appeared. Listening to Proclus's words, John was perplexed. Meanwhile, Proclus, looking at the image of the Apostle Paul on the icon, said:
– The one I saw looked like the one depicted on this icon.
Here John realized that Proclus had seen the holy Apostle Paul himself, and he was convinced that his work was pleasing to the Lord. He fell to the ground and prayed for a long time, giving thanks to God. From that time on, he acquired greater zeal and zeal for the writing of divine books, which he left behind for the Church as a precious treasure .
John, a great teacher throughout the world, unhesitatingly denounced injustice, defended the oppressed, and urged the Tsar and Tsarina to do no wrong but to act justly. He threatened nobles and people of high rank who plundered others' property and grieved the poor with divine judgment. For this, many secular rulers became hostile to him. Condemned by their consciences but unwilling to renounce their vices, they became angry with John. Their hearts hardened, they found it difficult to listen to the saint's words, and so they harbored a grudge against him. His detractors tried in every way to denigrate the saint, claiming that in his sermons in church, the patriarch did not teach, but insulted and denounced the Tsar and Tsarina and all authorities. Furthermore, he was called merciless for the following reason.
In the royal palace there was a certain eunuch named Eutropius, the head of the royal chamberlains. He managed to gain the king's trust and became his favorite. While pursuing his enemies, he persuaded the king to issue a law abolishing an ancient custom. Those who had violated civil law and were condemned to death would take refuge in churches, as the Israelites once did in their cities of refuge , and in churches they would escape the death penalty. The abolition of this custom was greatly grieved by St. John Chrysostom, and considering it an act of violence against the Church, he denounced Eutropius, accusing him of cruelty and trampling on church ordinances. A short time later, Eutropius himself fell into the pit he had dug for others and stabbed himself with the very sword he had sharpened for them. Because of some serious offense, the emperor became extremely angry with him, and Eutropius was sentenced to death. Eutropius then fled to the church and hid in the altar beneath the throne. Blessed John, seated on the pulpit, where he usually lectured the people, directed, as a very stern zealot, a denunciation at Eutropius. He argued that it would be just if the very man who had invented and instituted the newly established unjust law were to experience it. John's enemies, seizing on this, began to censure the saint, accusing him of mercilessness. Thus, little by little, they irritated the hearts of many people and aroused their anger against John .
Among those dissatisfied with the holy saint of God were many clergy who lived wickedly, since he exposed their wicked deeds and excommunicated some from the Church. They were especially irritated by the actions of a certain deacon, Serapion. The latter, who faithfully served the patriarch and lived a devout life, once said to the saint in the presence of all the clergy:
- Lord, you will not correct these unless you disperse them all with one rod.
These words of his enraged many and they began to speak ill of the holy patriarch among the people, blaspheming against one who was worthy of all praise. Discontent and hostility toward Saint John also manifested itself among the higher clergy. Among the bishops dissatisfied with Saint John was a certain Sevirian, Metropolitan of Gebala . At first, he enjoyed the favor of John, who, departing for Asia Minor to settle church affairs there, entrusted him with the governance of his flock. Governing the Church of Constantinople during the saint's absence, Sevirian sought to stir up discontent and, through intrigue, gain favor at the royal court, hoping thereby to take the place of Saint Chrysostom. At the same time, he exceeded his authority and allowed some disorder in the administration. Upon his return, Saint John... John immediately recognized Sevirian's baseness and treachery and, for the disorder he had caused, wanted to remove him from the capital. But Empress Eudoxia interceded for Sevirian, and at her request, John sincerely reconciled with him and forgave him. Sevirian, however, remained the same at heart as before and secretly continued to harbor malice against Chrysostom. The saint was aware of the malice surrounding him but paid no attention to it, for the more he was reviled, the more his fame flourished; he became famous even in distant lands, and many came from afar, desiring to see the saint and hear his teachings.
Given John Chrysostom's fame, the malice of all his enemies would have posed no threat to him, had not Empress Eudoxia herself been among those who opposed the saint. She was the most dangerous and persistent enemy of the holy saint of God, hating him with all her soul. The empress attributed all of John's speeches about money-lovers and plunderers, which he addressed to everyone in general, to herself and thought that John was denouncing and insulting her alone; for she was extremely money-loving and possessed by an insatiable greed for gold, which she forcibly took from many. Enraged at the blessed saint of God, the empress began to devise ways to depose him from the patriarchate.
At that time, there was a nobleman in Constantinople named Theodoric, who possessed great wealth. Envious of him and desiring to appropriate his property, the queen sought accusations against him, but found none, for Theodoric was a worthy and honorable man. Unable to inflict violence on him, the queen devised a ruse. She summoned Theodoric to her and said to him:
"You know how much the royal property constantly suffers in losses, how much gold is distributed to the army guarding the kingdom, and how countless are those who daily feed from the royal treasures. That is why our treasury is currently somewhat depleted. So, lend some of your property to the royal treasury; this will gain you favor with us; and in time, you will receive back what you give now."
Theodoric realized that the empress intended to use his property not to replenish the royal treasury, but to satisfy her insatiable love of money. Therefore, he went to Blessed John, informed him of the empress's intention, and tearfully implored the saint to provide him with his aid and assistance. John immediately sent the empress a letter, admonishing her with kind and gentle words not to offend Theodoric. The empress, although angry with the patriarch, acted in accordance with his wishes. She was ashamed of his wise words and promised not to harm Theodoric. After this, Theodoric, heeding the saint's golden-tongued words, which instructed him on almsgiving and advised him not to hide his treasure on earth, where the hands of the envious could snatch it, but in heaven, where no one would envy or snatch it away, decided to give his wealth to the Heavenly King. Retaining a small portion of his property for the support of his family, he donated the rest of his large fortune to the church's hospice for the provision of pilgrims, the poor, and the sick. Upon hearing this, the queen became very angry and sent word to Blessed John:
"Holy Patriarch! I, on your advice, took nothing from the patrician Theodoric for the needs of our kingdom, but you stole his property for your own enrichment! Wouldn't it have been more fitting for us to take this property, not you, since Theodoric grew rich in the royal service? Why didn't you imitate us? Just as we took nothing from Theodoric, so you shouldn't have taken his estates.
In response to these words, John wrote the following to the queen:
"I think it's no secret to you that if I had desired wealth, nothing would have prevented me from having it. For I had noble, dignified, and wealthy parents. But I voluntarily renounced wealth. You claim that I took Theodoric's property for my own enrichment. But know that Theodoric gave me nothing; and even if he had, I would not have taken it from him. He gave his wealth to Christ, distributing alms to the poor and needy. And he did well, for he will receive it a hundredfold from Christ in the age to come. I wish that you, too, imitating Theodoric, hide your possessions in heaven, so that when you become impoverished, you will be received into the eternal abodes. If you plan to take from Christ what Theodoric gave him, then what is that to us?" For, as you will see for yourself, you will offend not us, but Christ Himself.
Having read this letter from John, the queen became even more angry and began to look for an opportunity to take revenge on the saint.
At that time, a widow named Callitropa arrived in Constantinople from Alexandria on the following matter. When Paulicius, who held the rank of Augustus in 7366 , was governor of Alexandria, some envious people reported to him that Callitropa possessed a great deal of gold. Paulicius, in fact, was extremely greedy. Having falsely accused Callitropa, he ordered the widow's arrest and forced her to pay him five hundred gold coins. Lacking such money, the widow pawned everything she had with her neighbors and, having barely amassed five hundred gold coins, handed them over to the governor. Soon, Paulicius was defrocked for his unjust deeds and sent to Constantinople for interrogation; the poor widow also went there with him. Arriving before the emperor, she fell before him with tears and wailing, complaining that Paulicius had forcibly taken five hundred gold coins from her. The Emperor ordered the mayor of Constantinople to investigate the matter. But the mayor, siding with Paulicius, acquitted him and sent the widow away empty-handed. Even more offended by this, the widow fled to the queen and, telling her her plight, begged her mercy and aid. The mercenary queen was delighted with this opportunity, for she hoped to acquire much gold through this affair. So, she immediately summoned Paulicius, angrily accused him of plundering another's property and insulting the poor widow, and ordered him to be held in custody until he paid one hundred liters of gold. Seeing that he could not escape the queen's hands, Paulicius sent to his home for as much gold as the queen demanded and handed her the one hundred liters. Of this sum, the queen gave the widow only thirty-six gold coins and sent her away, keeping the rest for herself. The widow left the queen weeping, insulted by such an unjust decision. Then she heard of the protector of the wronged—Saint John. Approaching him, she recounted in detail what Paulicius and the queen had done to her.
Having calmed the weeping widow, Saint John sent for Paulicius and, inviting him to the church, said to him:
"We know of the injustices you have committed without fear of God, insulting the poor and forcibly taking away others' property, as you did with this poor widow. We have summoned you to return five hundred pieces of gold to the one you have unjustly wronged. So, give it to her, so that she can repay what she took from her creditors and not perish with her children in abject poverty. Then you too will be freed from your sin and will appease God, whom you have angered and who will avenge you for insulting the orphans if you do not repent."
Pavlik answered:
"Lord, this widow has wronged me far more than I have wronged her, for in complaining to the queen about me, she took a hundred liters of gold from me. What more does she want from me? Let her go to the queen and take what is hers."
The saint said to him:
"Even if the queen took so much gold from you, the widow hasn't yet received her due, and therefore she's not to blame for the offense the queen inflicted on you. The queen took a hundred liters of gold from you not so much for the widow's offense as for other robberies you committed while in power. Don't slander the queen. I assure you that you will not leave here until you give the widow back everything you took from her, down to the last gold piece. And the thirty-six gold coins the queen gave her, let her keep them for her travel expenses."
When the queen learned that John had detained Paulicius in the church, she sent to John with the order to release Paulicius, since she had taken enough gold from him.
But John answered the messengers:
- Pavlik will not be released from here until he gives back to the poor woman what he took.
The queen sent a second time to the saint with a demand to release Paulicius, but the saint replied:
"If the queen wishes me to release him, then let me send this widow five hundred gold coins. This won't be much of a problem for her, because she took much more from Pavlikius—a hundred liters of gold."
Hearing this, the queen was filled with rage and immediately dispatched two centurions with two hundred soldiers to forcibly remove Paulicius from the church. But as the soldiers approached the church doors, an Angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to them standing at the door, holding a drawn sword in his hand and barring their entrance. Seeing the fearsome Angel, the soldiers became afraid and fled. Trembling, they returned to the queen and informed her of the Angel's appearance. She, however, was horrified upon hearing this and no longer dared to send to John for Paulicius. Seeing that the queen had failed to help him, Paulicius sent to his own house for gold, gave the widow five hundred gold coins, and was released from the church. Having received her reward, the widow joyfully returned to her city.
Meanwhile, the queen never ceased to be angry with Blessed John; her anger toward the saint of God grew in her heart day by day. One day, she sent her servants to Saint John, commanding them to convey the following words to him:
"Stop opposing us and don't interfere with our royal affairs, for we don't interfere with church affairs either, but leave them to you to manage. Stop making me a byword for everyone, talking about me and denouncing me. Until now, I considered you a father and gave you due honor, but if from now on you don't improve and treat me better, I will no longer tolerate you."
Having heard these words of the queen, blessed John became very sad and, sighing heavily, said to the messengers:
"The Queen desires that I be like a dead man: that I should not notice the injustices committed, should not listen to the voices of the offended, the weeping, and the sighing, should not speak against those who sin; but since I am a bishop and have been entrusted with the care of souls, I must watch everything with an unsleeping eye, listen to everyone's requests, teach, instruct, and rebuke everyone. For I know that if I do not rebuke iniquities and punish the wicked, I will be subject to punishment, and therefore I fear lest the words of the Prophet Hosea be applied to me: 'As robbers lie in wait for a man, so a company of priests kills on the way to Shechem and commits abominations' ( Hos . 6:9 ). For the Divine Apostle commands that the sinner be exposed before all, so that others may also fear. And the same Apostle teaches, saying: "Those who sin reprove them before all, that others also may fear" ( 1 Tim. 5:20 ); "Preach the word; be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" ( 2 Tim. 4:2 ). I reprove lawlessness, not those who sin; I have never spoken to anyone's face about his iniquity, I have never tainted anyone with dishonor, and I have never mentioned the queen's name in my sermons to rebuke her. But I generally taught everyone to abstain from evil and not to offend their neighbors. If any of those who listen to my teachings are condemned by their conscience for the evil deeds they have committed, then it behooves him to be angry not with me, but with himself, and let him turn away from evil and do good. If the queen is unaware of any wrongdoing, nor that she has offended anyone, then why is she angry with me, who teaches the people to avoid all unrighteousness? She should rather rejoice that she has committed no unrighteousness and that I tirelessly preach salvation to the people over whom she reigns. If she is guilty of those sins which I strive with my edifying words to eradicate from human hearts, then let her know that it is not I who rebuke her or dishonor her, but rather her own actions, which bring great dishonor and shame to her soul, that expose her. So, let the queen be angry as she pleases, but I will not cease to speak the truth. After all, it is better for me to anger men than God: "If I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ" ( Gal. 1:10 ).
Having said this to the messengers, the saint dismissed them. They returned to the queen and told her everything they had heard. Then the queen became even more angry with Blessed John.
Not only the empress but also many others who lived impiously were hostile to the saint. He had enemies not only in Constantinople but also in more distant lands. Among the latter were the following: Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, who from the very beginning disliked John and did not wish for his consecration as patriarch; Acacius, Bishop of Berry ; Severianus of Gebala; and Antiochus of Ptolemais ; and in Constantinople, two priests and five deacons; many of the royal officials; and three prominent and wealthy widows living impiously: Marsa, Castricia, and Eugraphia. All these haters of John, consulting among themselves, sought accusations against him to slander him before the people. First of all, they sent to Antioch to inquire whether John had committed any evil deed, even in childhood. But "those who tried the trials vanished" ( Psalm 64:7 ), and they found nothing to charge the holy saint of God with. After this, they sent to Alexandria to Theophilus, a cunning liar and slanderer, but he too could find nothing to convict Saint John, who shone with virtue like the sun. However, Theophilus, instigated by Satan, zealously sought to depose John from the throne, which he achieved, with the help of the queen and other wicked people. John's expulsion occurred under these circumstances.
In Alexandria there lived a priest named Isidore, a xenodorus (that is, a provider for strangers), a man of holy life and great wisdom. He was already old, eighty years old; he had been ordained a priest by Saint Athanasius the Great , Patriarch of Alexandria. It was against this Isidore that Theophilus had a grudge because of Peter, an Alexandrian priest, since Theophilus intended to defrock Peter without cause and excommunicate him from the Church, while Isidore defended Peter and argued that the accusation against him was unjust. Therefore, Theophilus became angry with Isidore as well, and, having excommunicated Peter, he began to seek evidence against Isidore in order to excommunicate him as well.
At that time, a widow named Theodotia donated a thousand gold coins to Isidore, asking him to use the money to clothe the poor, orphans, and needy widows in Alexandria. The widow asked Isidore not to tell Patriarch Theophilus about this, lest the latter take the gold and use it for the stone buildings he had undertaken. Having received the gold, Isidore did as Theodotia asked and said nothing to Theophilus. However, Theophilus learned from someone that Isidore had received a thousand gold coins from Theodotia and spent them on the needs of the poor without Theophilus's knowledge. Theophilus, avid for money, became deeply enraged at Isidore for this and unjustly accused him of unnatural sin. To support his accusation, Theophilus found false witnesses. But the innocent Isidore was acquitted. However, in his unbridled malice, Theophilus nevertheless stripped him of his priestly rank and expelled him from the clergy with beatings and dishonor. Having suffered innocently, Isidore left Alexandria and went into seclusion on Mount Nitria , where he had lived previously as a young man. Confined there in a hut, he prayed to God, patiently enduring his dishonor.
At that time, four brothers lived in Egyptian monasteries. They were virtuous and God-fearing men, spending their entire lives in fasting and monastic struggles. Their names were Dioscorus, Ammonius, Eusebius, and Euthymius, and they were nicknamed the Long Brothers, as they were all distinguished by their great stature. For their virtuous lives, these brothers were revered not only by the inhabitants of Alexandria but also by Theophilus himself. He appointed one of them, Dioscorus, against his will as Bishop of Hermopolis , and he persuaded his two brothers, Ammonius and Euthymius, to settle with him in the patriarchate and forced them to accept priestly ordination. While living in the patriarchate under Theophilus, they saw that the latter did not live according to God's commandments, loved gold more than God, and committed great injustices. Therefore, they did not wish to remain with the patriarch, but, leaving him, returned to their hermit life. Understanding the reason for their expulsion, Theophilus became deeply offended, his love for them turned to malice, and he began plotting revenge. First, he spread the rumor that the Dolgii, along with the deposed Isidore, adhered to the Origenist heresy and seduced many monks into this heresy . He then sent a command to the nearest bishops to immediately remove the oldest monks from the Nitrian desert, without providing any reason for such an order. When the bishops complied with the patriarch's order, expelling all pious and God-pleasing ascetics from the mountains and deserts , the exiles gathered together and came to the patriarch in Alexandria, begging him to inform them of the reason for their condemnation and expulsion from their homes. The Patriarch, in a mad rage, rushed at them, as if possessed by a demon, and, throwing the omophorion 7374 around Ammonius’s neck, began to beat him, exclaiming:
- Heretic, curse Origen!
Having beaten Ammonius and the others, Theophilus not only refused to allow them to speak in his presence, but also dishonorably drove them all away. They, still waiting for an answer to Theophilus' question, returned to their huts, paying little attention to the fury and rage of their patriarch.
Having summoned his closest bishops, Theophilus anathematized four innocent monks: Ammonius, Eusebius, and Euthymius, the Dioscorus brothers, as well as the aforementioned blessed Isidore, without examining their confession of faith. But his malice was not abated by this. He himself wrote many false accusations against them: of heresy, sorcery, and many other grave sins. Then, having bribed slanderers and false witnesses, he passed these false accusations on to them, ordering the slanderers to approach him while he was preaching in church on a feast day, present him with the accusations against the aforementioned monks, and produce false witnesses. When all had taken place in this manner, the patriarch ordered the false accusations to be read in the council. Then, he presented these accusations to the city governor, took from him about five hundred soldiers, and set out with them for Mount Nitria with the intention of expelling Isidore, the Dioscorus brothers, and all their disciples from the Egyptian region as heretics and sorcerers. With the help of his army, Theophilus first deposed Dioscorus from the episcopal throne, and then, having made the soldiers drunk with wine, he attacked Mount Nitria by night, first searching for Isidore and the Dioscorus brothers: Ammonius, Eusebius, and Euthymius. Unable to find them (for they had taken refuge in a deep ditch), he ordered his soldiers to attack all the monks, burn their homes, and plunder all their meager possessions, clothing, and food. The drunken soldiers, rushing through all the villages and caves, suffocated, in smoke and fire, up to ten thousand holy fasters (on the tenth day of July, when their memory is celebrated in the Holy Church). The remaining monks fled, hiding wherever they could. After this, Theophilus withdrew to Alexandria.
The remaining monks gathered after this pogrom and, after much lamentation over their murdered fathers and brothers, dispersed in their own way. Dioscorus and his brothers, Blessed Isidore, and many other monks, who had shone forth in fasting and virtue and had been honored by God with the gift of miracles, withdrew to Palestine in deep sorrow. What grieved them was not the fact that they had been insulted and exiled, but that Theophilus had innocently excommunicated them from the Church and numbered them among the heretics. But even in Palestine, Theophilus did not leave them in peace. He immediately sent a message to the Palestinian bishops:
“You should not accept those who have been excommunicated and run away from me without my consent.
Then the exiled, not knowing where to turn, went to Constantinople to Saint John Chrysostom, as a safe haven. Falling at his feet, they tearfully implored him to show them mercy and aid. Seeing fifty venerable men in such misfortune, John pitied them and wept. Then, learning from Theophilus why they had suffered such a misfortune, he consoled them with kind words and reassured them, providing them with lodgings at the Church of Saint Anastasia. They were supported not only by Saint John but also by Saint Olympias, a deaconess, who provided them with everything they needed from her own means. This deaconess devoted all her wealth to ensuring that the poor and wanderers had peace and everything necessary for life. She was truly a saint; the monks were also holy; the Church later honored the memory of some of them with feasts. Among them, one named Hierax stood out, having lived alone in the desert for many years and being tempted by demons:
"Old man! You'll live another fifty years! How can you live in the desert for so long?"
He, having understood their deception, said:
“You cause me grief by predicting such a short life for me; but I have prepared myself to endure hardships in this desert for two hundred years.
Hearing this, the demons fled in disgrace. Such a father, whom the demons could not shake, was cast out by Theophilus of Alexandria! Also among the holy monks was Isaac the priest, versed in the Holy Scriptures, a disciple of Saint Macarius, immaculate from his mother's womb, for he was brought into the desert at the age of five and grew up there. And all the monks cast out by Theophilus were holy and venerable. Blessed John held them in high esteem and did not forbid them from attending church, although he did not allow them to receive Holy Communion until he himself had thoroughly clarified the reasons for their excommunication and reconciled them with Theophilus. He restrained them from saying anything to the emperor about their offense or complaining about Theophilus, promising to reconcile him with them. John actually wrote to Theophilus asking him to allow those monks to live peacefully in their cells in Egypt and to accept them back into the bosom of Christ's Church.
Meanwhile, rumors that John had received the exiled monks into communion reached Theophilus. At the same time, some slanderers told him that the Bishop of Constantinople had admitted them to communion (which was untrue). For this, Theophilus became greatly enraged at John and sent him an insolent letter, accusing him of violating church regulations . However, John then sent Theophilus a second peaceable letter, imploring him to cease his anger and not forbid the monks from remaining in the place from which they had been exiled. But Theophilus responded to John more harshly than before and became more angry with him than with the monks. Only then did the monks write a complaint to the king, describing all the misfortunes they had innocently suffered at the hands of Theophilus. They submitted their complaint to the king while he was in church.
Regretting the misfortune of such honorable and virtuous monks, the emperor immediately sent a command to the governor of Alexandria to send Theophilus, even by force, to Constantinople for trial, so that he could answer before Patriarch John and a council of bishops for the reasons for his malice and be condemned for his actions. The emperor also wrote to Pope Innocent 7376 , asking him to send bishops to Constantinople for the council to judge Theophilus. The Pope immediately ordered his bishops to prepare for the journey and awaited word from Emperor Arcadius whether the Eastern bishops had assembled. But the emperor did not write again, and so the Western bishops did not appear in Constantinople. Meanwhile, Theophilus bribed the governor of Alexandria, who allowed him to remain in Alexandria until he had collected from India all sorts of fragrant spices and sweet delicacies, which he could then ship to Constantinople. At the same time, Theophilus won over Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, and slandered Saint John, claiming he was a heretic because he had accepted the followers of Origen and received communion with them. Being a gentle man, Epiphanius failed to recognize Theophilus's treachery, believed the lie, and, zealous for piety, cursed Origen's books at the Local Council of Cyprus. He then wrote a letter to John, exhorting him to do the same. But John, in no hurry with this matter, continued to study the Divine Scripture and directed all his concerns towards teaching the people in the church and bringing sinners to repentance.
Meanwhile, Theophilus, preparing for a journey to Constantinople, asked Saint Epiphanius to go there too:
“We will organize,” he said, “a council against the Origenites.”
Convinced by this, Epiphanius hastily set off for Constantinople, arriving before Theophilus. But before his arrival, the following event occurred in Constantinople.
There lived a nobleman named Theognost, a kind and God-fearing man. He was slandered before the king, accusing him of blaspheming and maligning the king, calling the queen "gold-hungry" and claiming she was unjustly seizing other people's estates. The king was enraged at Theognost and ordered him imprisoned in Thessaloniki, and all his wealth and property confiscated, except for one vineyard located outside the city, which the king allowed Theognost's wife and children to keep for their sustenance. On the way to Thessaloniki, Theognost fell ill and died of grief. His wife, deeply grieving for her husband, came to Saint John and tearfully recounted her woes. The saint consoled her with wise words and advised her to cast her sorrow upon God. He allowed her to take food daily for herself and her children from the church's hospice, while he himself sought out a convenient opportunity to ask the Tsar to return the property taken from the widow and her children without cause. But the Tsarina, out of malice, not only prevented this but also inflicted the greatest harm on Blessed John.
One day, during the grape harvest, Eudoxia passed by Theognostos' vineyard, which was not far from the royal vineyards. Attracted by its beautiful appearance, she entered, cut a bunch of grapes with her own hands, and ate it. Meanwhile, there was a royal decree: if the king or queen entered another's vineyard and ate a bunch of grapes, the owner of that vineyard no longer had any right to it and that vineyard was added to the royal vineyards, and its owner was either rewarded with money or given another vineyard by the king. In accordance with this decree, Eudoxia ordered Theognostos' vineyard added to the royal vineyards. She acted in this way for the following reasons: on the one hand, she wanted to dishonor the widow and her children, as she resented her for coming to John and telling him of her grief. On the other hand, the queen was seeking an accusation against John in order to expel him from the church. She knew, of course, that if John heard of this, he would not remain silent but would rise to the defense of the offended widow, and from this discord would arise and her plan would be fulfilled. And so it came to pass.
Indeed, the offended widow resorted to Blessed John and tearfully informed him that the queen had taken away her vineyard—her last hope for providing for her children. John immediately dispatched a letter to the queen through Archdeacon Eutychius, urging her to show mercy, reminding her of the virtuous lives of her parents and the virtues of previous kings, evoking the fear of God, terrifying her soul with the reminder of God's Last Judgment, and begging her to return the vineyard to the poor widow. The queen, disobeying John's instructions and ignoring his prayers, wrote him a stern reply, citing ancient royal laws and, as if offended, proudly declaring that she would no longer endure such an insult.
“You,” the queen wrote to John, “not knowing the royal decrees, condemned me in your speeches as committing lawlessness, and offended me, but I will no longer tolerate your offensive speeches, and I will not tolerate you, who do not cease to insult me.
Having read this letter, Saint John himself went to the palace to the queen, where he again began to admonish her with gentle words, begging and insisting more strongly than before that she give the vineyard to the widow.
The queen answered:
"I've already written to you about what the previous kings established regarding vineyards. Let the widow choose another vineyard instead of her own, or receive one at her own expense."
To this the saint said:
"She does not demand another vineyard, nor does she seek compensation for what was taken from her, but asks for the return of what was taken from her. So, give her back her vineyard!"
The queen answered:
- Do not resist the ancient royal laws, for such resistance will not bring you any good.
"Do not justify your actions with ancient statutes and laws established by pagan kings!" the holy saint of God responded. "Nothing prevents you, pious queen, from abolishing unjust laws and establishing just ones. So give the vineyard to the wronged one, lest I call you a second Jezebel 7378 and you be subject to a curse like that impious queen of Israel."
When he said this, the queen was filled with great anger and filled the royal chambers with her cries, revealing the secret poison of her heart:
“I will take revenge on you myself, and therefore not only will I not return the woman’s vineyard, but I will not give her another one, nor will I give her money for what I took, and I will punish you for your insult in a fitting manner.
And she ordered Saint John to be forcibly removed from the royal chamber. Expelled by the queen with such dishonor, Saint John commanded his archdeacon Eutychius, under threat of punishment, to do the following:
“Tell the church gatekeepers that when the queen approaches the church, they should close the doors before her and not allow her and all who come with her to enter the church; let the gatekeepers tell her that this is what John commanded to be done.”
When the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross arrived and all the people had gathered in the church, the Tsar arrived with his nobles, and the Tsarina also arrived with her entire retinue. When the gatekeepers saw the Tsarina, they closed the church doors before her, not allowing her, in accordance with the Patriarch's orders, to enter. Then the Tsar's servants cried out:
- Open the door for the queen!
But the gatekeepers answered:
- The Patriarch ordered not to let her in!
Filled with shame and anger, the queen said:
"Look, everyone, at the shame this obstinate man is bringing upon me! Everyone enters the church unhindered, and only I am he forbidden! Can't I take revenge on him and depose him from the throne?"
As she cried out, one of those who had come with her drew his sword and swung it, intending to strike the door; but suddenly his hand withered and became motionless, as if dead. Seeing this, the queen and her entire retinue were horrified and turned back; but the one whose hand had withered entered the church and stood in the midst of the crowd, crying out in a loud voice:
– Holy Lord! Have mercy on me and heal my withered hand, which has risen against the holy temple; I have sinned – forgive me!
Understanding the reason for his hand's withering, the saint ordered him to wash it in the altar basin, and the hand was immediately healed. Witnessing this miracle, all the people gave praise to God. None of this was hidden from the king, but knowing the queen's wicked nature, he attached no significance to the incident and, respecting Saint John, listened lovingly to his teachings. But the queen strove with all her might to have John banished, which she soon achieved.
At this time, Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, arrived in Constantinople, bearing writings against Origen. Disembarking from the ship, he entered the Church of Saint John the Baptist, seven stadia from the city , celebrated the Liturgy there, and ordained him deacon, contrary to the canons , which forbade a bishop from ordaining anyone in another flock without the permission of the diocesan bishop . After this , he arrived in the city and settled in a private house. All this became known to Saint John, but he was not angry with Epiphanius for ordaining a deacon in his diocese, for he considered him a holy and kind man. Moreover, he sent envoys to Epiphanius asking him to come and live with him in the patriarchal house, as all bishops did. But Epiphanius refused and didn't even want to see John, and replied to his envoys:
“If John does not expel Dioscorus and his monks from the city and if he does not sign a denial of Origen’s writings, then I will have no communication with him.
John answered Epiphanius through ambassadors:
– Before the council’s deliberation, nothing should be done arbitrarily.
John's enemies, coming to Epiphanius, urged him to curse Origen's writings in the Church of the Holy Apostles, in the presence of all the people, excommunicate all the monks expelled from Egypt with Dioscorus as followers of Origen, and denounce John for accepting the Origenites and sharing their opinions. Zealous for piety, Epiphanius went the next morning to the Church of the Holy Apostles to curse Origen's writings. Upon learning of Epiphanius's intention, Saint John sent envoys to him with the following words:
"Epiphanius! You do much that is contrary to the canons. First of all, you celebrated the Liturgy and ordained a bishop in my flock without my consent; then you refused to settle with us, and now you want to enter the church of my diocese and pronounce excommunication without a council. Be careful, lest you stir up unrest among the people and fall into trouble yourself."
Having heard this, Epiphanius began to waver and, leaving the church, decided to await Theophilus' arrival. The Lord, however, not permitting any enmity between His saints, revealed to Epiphanius that John was as pure as the sun and was being accused out of human envy. Epiphanius had indeed heard from many people of John's great virtues, his immaculate faith, and his most perfect life, and he was astonished that so many were rising up against John and weaving various accusations against him. Therefore, the Cypriot saint began to patiently await the outcome of the matter that had begun.
Hearing that Epiphanius was avoiding John and not communicating with him, Queen Eudoxia assumed there was hostility between them. Inviting Epiphanius to her, she said to him:
"Father Epiphanius! You know that the entire Greco-Roman kingdom is in our sovereign hands. Behold, I will hand over all ecclesiastical authority to you if you listen to me, heal my sorrow, and accomplish what I have planned."
Epiphanius replied:
- Speak, child, and we will try to the best of our ability to arrange what will serve for the salvation of your soul.
Then the queen, assuming that she would succeed in seducing Epiphanius into her plan, began to tell him the following about John:
"This John has become unworthy to lead the Church administration, as he rebels against me and the Tsar and does not render us the honor due. Moreover, many claim he is a heretic. For this reason, it would be desirable to convene a council and defrock John, replacing him with someone capable of governing the Church well."
As she spoke, the queen trembled with intense anger at the saint of God. Then she began speaking again:
"However, there is no need to trouble so many fathers by summoning them here to the council. It would be better, Holy Father, for you to remove him from the Church yourself and appoint in his place another, whom God will show you, and I will arrange for everyone to listen to you."
"Child," Epiphanius replied, "listen to your father without anger. If John is a heretic, as you claim, and if he does not repent of his heresy, then he is unworthy of the patriarchal rank, and we will deal with him as you command. If you wish to expel him for allegedly blaspheming you, Epiphanius will not grant his consent, for kings should not bear grudges, but be kind, gentle, and forgiving of blasphemy against them. After all, you too have a King over you in heaven, and seek from Him forgiveness of your sins. Do the same with others: 'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful' ( Luke 6:36 ), said the Savior.
“Father,” the queen answered Epiphanius, “if you do not drive out John, then I will open the idol temples and arrange for many, having turned away from God, to worship idols, and the last will be worse than the first.”
She spoke this with bitterness and shed tears. Surprised by the queen's insane anger, Epiphanius said:
“I am pure from such condemnation of the righteous.”
Having said this, he left the palace.
Rumors spread throughout the city that the empress had incited the great Epiphanius against John and that Epiphanius, visiting the royal chambers, was conferring with the empress regarding the patriarch's overthrow. This rumor reached John, and he, being a passionate man, delivered a sermon in church before all the people, in which he recalled examples from Holy Scripture of the cruelty of various women. Many of the people, hearing John's words about women, thought he was speaking in parables about the empress. John's enemies wrote these words down on a charter and handed them to the empress. The empress, upon reading them, decided he had spoken of her alone and tearfully complained to the empress that John had blasphemed her in church. With sobs, she said to the empress:
– Know that my offense is at the same time yours, and when John blasphemes me, he at the same time dishonors you.
And speaking thus, the queen begged the king to convene a council and condemn John to exile. She also wrote to Theophilus of Alexandria, asking him to come to Constantinople.
“I,” she wrote, “will entreat the king for you and will silence all your adversaries; just come to us immediately and gather many bishops to drive out my enemy John.”
Encouraged by the queen's letter, Theophilus immediately set out for Constantinople upon receiving it, with ships laden with Indian spices, vegetables, and precious Egyptian silk and gold-woven fabrics. He hoped to use such treasures to persuade many to assist him in his evil plot against John.
At that time, Blessed John wrote to Saint Epiphanius as follows:
- Brother Epiphanius! I heard that you advised me to expel; so know that you will not see your throne again.
Epiphanius answered him in writing:
- Passion-Bearer John! Be courageous in your suffering and know that you will not reach the place to which you are banished.
The prophecy of both was fulfilled. Epiphanius, having remained in Constantinople for a short time, saw that Saint John was being unjustly rebelled against. Unwilling to be complicit in the robber's trial of the righteous man, he secretly boarded a ship with his retinue and set out for home. On the way, Epiphanius, in accordance with John's prophecy, fell asleep in the Lord before reaching his hometown. Likewise, John, during his second exile, fell asleep in the Lord before reaching the place to which he had been exiled, according to Epiphanius's prophecy. But we will speak of this later; for now, we will return to the interrupted account of events.
Hoping for the queen's assistance and fearing nothing, Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria immediately arrived in Constantinople, bringing with him many bishops whom he skillfully persuaded to share his views. The emperor refused to receive Theophilus until the Roman bishops arrived from Pope Innocent. He was unaware that the Romans were awaiting a second letter from him inviting him to the council. Meanwhile, the emperor secretly summoned Theophilus and all the bishops who had accompanied him, informing them of her intentions regarding John and asking them to endeavor to depose the saint. They promised their assistance, for which the emperor rewarded them with gifts. After this, she summoned all the monks, priests, and bishops who had come from Egypt and who had complained against Theophilus. There were six bishops and twenty priests and deacons who had deserted Theophilus and were seeking legal action against him. Having gathered them all, the queen began to beg them not to bring charges against Theophilus and to forgive him for their offense. Some listened to the queen and, casting their sorrow upon the Lord, remained silent. Others, among whom were Isidore and Irax (Dioscorus had recently died), withdrew to their deserts. Some completely refused to accept the queen's offer. The queen enriched those who agreed to remain silent with gifts, and those who resisted were sent to Thessalonica for exile. Thus, Theophilus, freed from all his adversaries, was able to successfully launch his case against John.
At that time, Saint John, preaching the word of God in the church according to his custom, expounded a certain part of the Holy Scripture from the third book of Kings as follows:
“Gather to me... the prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of shame, who eat at the table of Jezebel , that I may say to them, as Elijah said, ‘How long will you limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, then follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him’” 7382 .
Having heard this, John's enemies reported it to Theophilus and the bishops with him. The latter, writing down these words, misrepresenting them and adding their own, said that John was openly calling the queen Jezebel and them false prophets. They passed the written word on to the king and queen. Then the queen, weeping, again begged the king to judge John. Taking pity on the queen, the king turned all his anger against Theophilus against John and ordered Theophilus to convene a council against him. Theophilus and all his supporters rejoiced at the king's wrath against John. Finding two deacons whom John had excommunicated—one of them had committed murder, the other adultery—Theophilus promised to consecrate them as bishops on the condition that they bear false witness against John. They, however, being hostile to the saint and desiring the episcopacy, immediately promised to fulfill Theophilus's will. Theophilus wrote many false accusations against John and handed them over to the deacons so that they could submit them to the council on their behalf.
The site of the council was designated in the suburb of Chalcedon, where the royal palace and the large church of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul stood . The bishops, having gathered there, met with Theophilus. Blessed John, with the forty bishops who were with him, met in his patriarchal residence. The saint saw with sorrow that the malice of his enemies had been crowned with success, and he ingenuously marveled at how this had happened and how Theophilus, himself summoned for trial, had so quickly won over the emperor and all the dignitaries and transformed himself from defendant into judge. And Saint John said to the bishops:
"Brothers! Pray to God for me, and if you love Christ, do not forsake your churches. The time of my troubles has already drawn near, and after many sorrows, I will soon depart to the Lord. I see that Satan, unable to bear my teachings, has convened an impious council against me. But do not grieve for me, and remember me in your prayers."
Upon hearing this, everyone was horrified and wept. The saint commanded them to be silent and consoled them. While he was conversing with his council, messengers from the Council of Theophilus arrived, summoning John to trial so that he might answer the accusations brought against him. The bishops who were with John, through these messengers, said to Theophilus:
"Do not summon the saint, as Cain did Abel in the field, but come to us and justify yourself before us. We have written evidence of the iniquities you have committed. So, come here, for there are far more of us, gathered by the grace of God not for the destruction of the Church, but for peace, than there are at your council."
Saint John, for his part, said to the ambassadors:
– I can’t go to my obvious enemies.
And he didn't go.
Summoned to the unlawful trial for the second and third time, the holy saint said to those sent:
"To whom shall I go? To my enemies or to the judges? I am ready to stand before the judgment seat of the whole world, but only on the condition that my adversaries be judged along with me, and that other judges be appointed. But now my judges are my enemies, who wish not to sue me, but to judge me. I will not go to such a trial. But let the bishops from all the churches gather, and then I too will stand trial."
Having said this, he sent in his stead three bishops with two priests to speak for him. The Council of Theophilus, seeing John's envoys and not allowing them to speak a single word, subjected them to mockery, and placed on one of them the iron chains that had been prepared for John. Then the participants of this council began to read the false accusations made to incriminate the innocent and pure-hearted John, and, having produced false witnesses, they held him on trial.
Saint John was at that time in the patriarchal church with his bishops and addressed them with the following words:
The waves are great, the swells are fierce, but we are not afraid of drowning, for we stand on the rock. Let the sea foam and rage, but it cannot crush the rocks. Let the waves surge, but they cannot sink the ship of Jesus. Tell me: what should we fear? Death? But "for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" ( Philippians 1:21 ).
Should I fear exile, tell me? But "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" ( Psalm 24:1 ). Should I tremble at the loss of possessions? But we brought nothing into this world; clearly, we can bear nothing. In short, I do not fear anything terrible in this world, and I disdain all that I have. I do not fear poverty, I do not desire wealth, I do not tremble at death, but I pray that you may prosper in goodness.
Meanwhile, Theophilus, with a council of his bishops, condemned Saint John as worthy of dethronement and deprived him of his see, without seeing his face or hearing his voice. Thus, in the space of a single day, they completed the evil deed they had long been preparing, after which they sent the following letter to the emperor:
“Since John is accused of many crimes, of which he himself admitted guilt because he did not wish to appear at the trial, for this reason he is deposed; and nothing more is required, except that you order him to be expelled from the throne.
Tsar Arcadius refused to read the accusations against John and refused to listen to the holy saint's response. He unhesitatingly believed the words of the unjust council and ordered John's immediate expulsion from the church. To this end, as if going to war, he dispatched a nobleman with an army to him.
Hearing of this, the people were inflamed with anger, and a countless multitude gathered and remained outside the church for three days, refusing to allow John to be expelled. All loudly murmured against the king and queen, and against Theophilus, for unjustly condemning the saint of God. Then John, fearing that another accusation would be fabricated against him—that he disobeyed the king—hid from the people. As evening approached, he left the church, secretly went out, and surrendered himself to the soldiers sent to apprehend him. The soldiers led him to the bay and sailed with him to Praenetus, located opposite Nicomedia.
The people, upon learning of this, raised a great commotion, during which many residents were killed and even more wounded. Among the discontented were those who intended to stone Theophilus. Upon learning of this, Theophilus secretly fled the city and immediately sailed to Alexandria. The rest of his supporters also fled. The cries of the people were heard everywhere, both in churches and in the squares, loudly murmuring at the unjust judgment that had overthrown such a great luminary of peace. Surrounding the palace, the people, with terrible wails and sobs, begged for John to be restored to the patriarchal throne. At this time, one night, a strong earthquake occurred, and everyone was in great fear. Terror especially gripped the queen, for her palace shook more violently than the other buildings, and part of it even collapsed. Seeing this, all the people began to cry out in a loud voice:
- If John is not returned, the whole city will fall apart!
The emperor feared divine punishment and a popular uprising and hastily dispatched the queen's eunuch, Brisson, to fetch John. Now the queen herself begged the emperor to order John's return, for she greatly feared an earthquake and popular uprising. And so, one messenger after another rushed to entreat the saint to return to the city, so that the Thracian Sea was overflowing with boats carrying ambassadors. Yielding to persistent entreaties, Saint John agreed to return to Constantinople. Upon learning of this, all the citizens rode out to meet him with lighted candles, and the sea was filled with ships welcoming the saint. John, upon arriving at the city, refused to enter it until a great council had examined the reasons for his exile. But the people insistently demanded that their shepherd not remain outside his throne, and they angrily grumbled against the emperor. Yielding to the people's insistence, John was forced to enter the city. He was led into the church with honor, amid the singing of psalms and sacred hymns. After praying to God, the holy saint sat upon his throne and, having brought peace to the people, delivered a sermon. Hearing his eloquent and edifying words, everyone rejoiced at his return, and the horde of John's enemies scattered, and all his adversaries fled and fell silent.
Returned to his throne, Saint John governed Christ's Church in profound silence, nourishing his rational flock with sweet teachings. Having such a shepherd and teacher, the entire Church was for a time elated and comforted. But less than two months passed before the storm against the blessed one, which had subsided, arose again. It happened in this way.
Not far from the Church of Hagia Sophia , by order of Eudoxia, a tall column crowned with an image of the queen was erected. To celebrate the column's unveiling, all manner of games and celebrations took place around it, lasting for several days. The shouts and cries of the rejoicing carried into the Church of Hagia Sophia, mingling with the singing of divine hymns. Saint John saw this as a clear blasphemy and an insult to the holy place, and therefore sought through the city governor to put a stop to the unruly celebrations taking place around the column. But the governor offered him no assistance. Then, jealous of the insult to the holy place, John delivered a harsh, accusatory speech in the church, beginning with the words:
- Again Herodias 7386 is raging, again she is in turmoil, again she is jumping and dancing, again she is looking for the head of John!
John's informers and enemies hastened to maliciously report this to the queen, interpreting his words as comparing her to Herodias. Eudoxia flew into a rage: with tears, she begged the emperor to convene another council against John. And so, royal letters were once again sent to all the bishops, inviting them to gather in Constantinople and hold John's trial. All those who had previously attended the unlawful trial of the holy saint of God gathered. Only Theophilus was absent, for he, remembering how he had narrowly escaped the people's wrath the previous time, was already afraid to go to Constantinople himself, but sent three bishops there in his place. Along with them, he also sent the decrees the Arians had drawn up against Athanasius the Great (7387) , in order to use them to condemn John for having, after being deposed, once again ascended the throne without authorization. On the basis of these unjust heretical canons, the blessed one was condemned (7388) , because no other charges could be found against him. The only point they pointed out was that Chrysostom, after being deposed, had dared to occupy the episcopal throne before the new council. Saint John remarked:
"I was not present at the trial, did not argue with my opponents, and did not even see the charges against me, nor did I accept the court's decisions, but the emperors exiled me, and they themselves brought me back. This decree, on the basis of which you are judging me, was drawn up not by the Orthodox, but by the Arians, with the goal of deposing Athanasius the Great."
But the impious assembly ignored the saint's response and deposed the saint of God. The deposition of Saint John took place under the following circumstances.
When the great feast of Holy Easter arrived, the king, on the advice of the bishops, sent word to John:
- Leave the Church, since you have been condemned at two councils, and I cannot enter it as long as you are in it.
In response to this, Saint John answered the king through messengers:
"I received the Church from Christ my Savior, and I cannot leave it voluntarily unless I am driven out by force. The city is yours, and everyone will listen to you. Therefore, if you wish to separate me from the Church of Christ, then send your servants to remove me from the Church. Then I will have no answer before God, for I will not leave the Church of my own free will, but will be driven out by the Tsar's power."
Upon hearing this, the emperor initially hesitated, but then, at the instigation of John's opponents, he sent the dignitary Marinus, who was in charge of the empress's estates, to exile the glorious teacher of the Church, Saint John, from the church by force. However, the saint was permitted to remain in the patriarchal residence for a time, and without leaving his cell, he remained there for two months, until the emperor issued a decree exiling him into exile.
During this time, the holy saint of God was destined to endure many sorrows and misfortunes. The malice of his enemies extended to the point that they repeatedly attempted to kill him: they bribed a man to kill Saint John. To conceal his evil intent, the bribed man feigned demoniac possession and, with a hidden sword, began to wander around the patriarch's house, awaiting the opportune moment to kill the saint. But the people loyal to John, suspecting the supposedly possessed man of evil intent, seized him and found the sword on him. The criminal was taken to the mayor for questioning, but John, learning of what had happened, sent the bishops who were with him and tried to rescue him from the hands of the authorities. Another time, a slave of the priest Elpidius was noticed by the people, agitated and hurriedly making his way toward the patriarch's house. One of John's guards grabbed him and asked where he was going in such a hurry, but he, without answering, struck the questioner with his sword. Seeing this, another man cried out. Elpidius struck him with his sword, and then a third man who happened to be nearby. Shouts and cries arose, and the slave took off running, waving his bloody sword and fighting off the people pursuing him. On the way, he encountered a man who had just emerged from the public baths. The man tried to seize him, but before he could do so, he fell dead, struck by the sword. When the enraged robber was finally captured, he confessed that he had been bribed for fifty pieces of gold to kill John. From that time on, the people began to guard the house of their beloved archpastor even more carefully, arranging shifts and never leaving it unguarded, for they saw that John's enemies were seeking an opportunity to kill the saint.
With the advent of Pentecost, the king's command came for John to go into exile. A dignitary advised John to withdraw secretly from the people, lest they rebel and rise up against the soldiers who were to lead him into exile.
“Otherwise,” he said, “you will be the cause of bloodshed, for you have been ordered to be taken by force; the people will resist and stir up unrest.”
Having heard this, John summoned some of his beloved bishops and clergy, as well as the blessed deaconess Olympias, and bid them farewell. At their parting, everyone wept bitterly. Saint John himself wept. Having parted from his entourage, John quietly left through the small doors toward the sea, so that the people knew nothing of his departure. Soldiers awaited the saint by the sea, and having seized him, they immediately placed him in a small boat. On it, the saint was transported to Bithynia and from there taken on his further journey.
After the expulsion of St. John, a fire broke out in the cathedral church of Constantinople, a clear expression of God's wrath. A strong wind blew flames out of the church and, rising high in the air like a bridge, descended upon the chamber where the anti-John gatherings were held, completely consuming it. A miraculous phenomenon could be seen: the fire, as if animated, writhing like a serpent, devoured the outlying houses, while those near the church remained unharmed. From this, everyone saw that the fire had occurred not by chance, but by divine wrath, and that the cause of this wrath was the expulsion of St. John Chrysostom.
Over the course of three hours, from the sixth hour of the day until the ninth, many beautiful ancient buildings, all manner of decorations found in the city, and countless riches were reduced to ashes. Yet not a single person perished from the fire. Seeing this, everyone said that God was punishing the city with fire for the unjust exile of God's saint. John's enemies, however, claimed the opposite, saying:
– John's supporters set fire to the church.
As a result, many were seized and subjected to all manner of torture and torment by the city governor, a Greek by faith , some even died. Despite this, however, they could not find the culprit of the fire and became even more convinced that it was caused by God's wrath.
While the saint was being transported to captivity, he endured numerous torments at the hands of soldiers along the way. The soldiers had been ordered by the empress to insult and harass the saint in every way possible during the journey, in order to quickly exhaust him and bring him to death. Therefore, they mounted him on an unsaddled donkey and drove the animal rapidly, covering in one day a distance that should have taken two or three. During the journey, John was denied rest and respite, spending the night in simple and filthy inns, sometimes in the homes of Jews, and committing numerous abominations in his presence. He was not allowed to enter any church; when he requested it, he was subjected to all manner of insults and abuse. Furthermore, he was tormented with hunger, and the money he had been given for his travel expenses was taken from him.
With such bitterness was Saint John Chrysostom led into exile! When the saint happened to pass by cities where his enemies and Theophilus' friends were bishops, the latter inflicted all manner of insults upon him; some even refused to allow him entry, while others even encouraged the soldiers to treat him as harshly as possible. Occasionally, the holy desert fathers, hearing that Saint John was being sent into exile, would come out to meet him and weep as they escorted him. John Chrysostom himself recalled this in his letter from Kukusa to Bishop Cyriacus in 7390 : "We have experienced much grief on the road, but we are not distressed by anything." As we passed through Cappadocia and Taurocylia , whole hosts of fathers, holy men, and numerous crowds of monks and virgins came out to meet us, shedding copious tears. Watching our march into exile, they wept and said to one another, "It would be better for the sun to hide its rays than for the lips of John to be silent." This brought me great confusion and sadness, for I saw that everyone was weeping for me. I cared nothing for anything else that had happened to me."
This is what Saint John himself wrote about himself.
When he was brought to Lesser Armenia, to the city of Kukuz, he was graciously received into the home of the local bishop, Adelphius, who had received a vision from God before John's arrival commanding him to receive the saint. While in Kukuz, Saint John converted many unbelievers to Christ through his teachings. The fame of Saint John Chrysostom spread throughout the surrounding area, and many people flocked to him from far and wide, desiring to see him and hear his edifying words. Many of his admirers and acquaintances from Antioch also came to see the saint. Word of all this reached Constantinople, and John's enemies became alarmed. They considered him dangerous even in his confinement, and so they decided to exile him even further. And so, in Kukuz, the queen sent orders to send John to a desolate place called Pythious , located on the shores of the Pontic Sea, amidst brutal barbarians. Following the queen's new orders, the soldiers took John to another place of exile and, during the journey, subjected him to the same abuses they had inflicted before, seeking to hasten his death. They carried him through rain and heat, naked, forbidding him to enter towns and villages, and, as before, drove the donkey carrying the saint at full speed. Such a cruel journey did Saint John endure during his exile! It was on this journey that he died.
Not long before the death of the blessed one, when he stood at night in prayer as usual, the holy Apostles Peter and John came to him, who had appeared to him earlier when he was struggling in the Antioch monastery. The holy Apostles said to him:
Rejoice, good shepherd of Christ's rational sheep, strong passion-bearer. We are sent to you by our common Master, Jesus Christ, to aid you and comfort you in the sorrows and labors you have endured for the purity of your soul. For you, imitating John the Baptist, denounced the lawless kings. Be of good courage and be strong; a great reward is prepared for you in the Kingdom of Heaven. We bring you good tidings of great joy: in a few days you will depart to the Lord your God and will forever be blessed with us in the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, have hope, for you have conquered your enemies, shamed those who hate you, and overcome the adversary, the devil. Eudoxia will be swarming with worms and will call upon you for help, but she will find no help and will die of a terrible illness. She will suffer cruelly and will not receive relief for a moment, since she will receive this punishment from God.
After this they gave him something edible and said:
"Take this and eat it, so that after this you will no longer require any other food in this life. This will be enough for you until the time when you commit your soul into the hands of God."
Saint John, taking what was given to him, ate it in their presence and rejoiced. After this, the Apostles who had appeared withdrew from him.
John was accompanied by two priests and one deacon, who had accompanied him into exile from Constantinople and never abandoned him, being bound to him by bonds of love. They witnessed with their own eyes how the Apostles came to John, heard all their words, and blessed God for allowing them to suffer alongside the saint.
After several days' journey, the exiles reached Comana (7393 ). Near this city stood the church of the holy Great Martyr Basiliscus , Bishop of Comana, who, under the impious Emperor Maximian (7394) , suffered for Christ in Nicomedia together with the Antiochian priest Lucian ( 7395 ). They spent the night at this church. The next day was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and on the night before the feast, the holy martyr Basiliscus appeared to Blessed John.
- Brother John, take heart! For tomorrow we will be together.
The same holy martyr appeared to the presbyter of his church, saying:
- Prepare a place for Brother John, for he is coming to us.
As day broke, John urged the soldiers to remain in Comana at the Church of St. Basiliscus until the fifth hour, but they disobeyed him and continued on their way, trying to travel as quickly as possible. They sailed by water, moving swiftly, like a feathered bird. Thus, in a few hours, they covered the thirty stadia from the city.
However, by Divine Providence, they again landed near the Church of St. Basilisk, much to their surprise. John again begged them to wait there a little while he prayed in the church. Recognizing the power of God in their reluctant landing at the place from which they had set sail, the soldiers resolved to fulfill John's wish. The saint then entered the church, asked for the bright ecclesiastical vestments, and changed all his clothes, beginning with his shoes. He then distributed his vestments to those on the ship with him, and wearing the ecclesiastical vestments, he celebrated the Liturgy and received the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. Then, blessing all those present and offering them the final kiss, he lay down with the words:
- Thank God for everything.
And then he gave up his spirit into the hands of God. This was on the very day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord. Thus, the holy saint of God, who bore his cross throughout his life, crucifying himself for the world and co-crucifying himself with Christ, died on the day dedicated to the memory of the Holy Cross . He was laid in the same church where he died, not far from the tomb of the holy martyr Basiliscus. Thus came true the prophecy of Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus , who spoke to Saint John:
- And you will not reach the place to which you will be banished.
Indeed, Saint John was led to Pythios, but died in Comana, before reaching Pythios. Thus did the church's lamp go out, thus did the golden lips fall silent, thus did the good ascetic and sufferer accomplish his struggle and end his life, having lived six years on the patriarchal throne and three years in exile, being transferred from place to place .
When St. John died, the two priests and deacon who had followed him until his death, having mourned the death of their father, went to Rome to see Pope Innocent and reported to him in detail all that St. John had suffered through the malice of his enemies. They recounted his death, and how, before his death, the holy Apostles Peter and John the Theologian had visited him, what they had said to him, and how the holy martyr Basiliscus had appeared to him. Having heard all, Innocent was greatly astonished and began to grieve for the great saint who had suffered for the truth. The Pope reported the circumstances of St. Chrysostom's exile and death to the Western Emperor Honorius , brother of Arcadius, and both of them bitterly regretted it and immediately wrote letters to Emperor Arcadius. The Pope himself wrote:
"The blood of my brother John cries out to God against you, O King, just as the blood of righteous Abel cried out of old against the fratricide Cain; and this blood will be avenged, for in times of peace you raised a persecution against the Church of God. For you drove out the true shepherd of Christ, and with him you also drove out Christ God, and delivered His flock into the hands of mercenaries, not the true shepherds of Christ.
Innocent wrote this and much more to Arcadius, excommunicating him and Eudoxia from the Divine Mysteries, along with all their accomplices who had participated in the overthrow of Saint John. He excommunicated Theophilus not only from his rank but also from the Church, and summoned him to a council to receive the punishment he deserved.
Honorius, for his part, wrote to his brother Arcadius:
"I know not what temptation you were seduced by, brother, trusting your wife and, at her urging, arranging what no pious Christian king would have done. The bishops and holy fathers present here cry out against you and the queen for deposing the great Bishop John of God from the throne without trial and contrary to the canons, and, having exhausted him with cruel tortures, condemned him to a violent death."
At the end of this letter, Honorius called on Arcadius to repent before God and take vengeance on those responsible for John's exile. Having received the letter from his brother and the Pope, Emperor Arcadius fell into deep sorrow and terrible fear. Having found those in the city who had rebelled against John, he subjected them to various executions: some he beheaded with the sword, others he dishonorably defrocked. The emperor ordered the arrest of several bishops who had judged Saint John and who were then in Constantinople and shamefully imprisoned in the common prison. Among these was Jechirion, the son of Theophilus's brother. He wrote a very stern letter to Theophilus himself, commanding him to be prepared for trial in Thessaloniki so that he might receive a fitting punishment for his malice. Even his wife, Queen Eudoxia, did not escape Arcadius's wrath: Arcadius banished her from himself, confined her to a separate palace, and forbade all but a slave to visit her. He also exiled the queen's relatives, who had joined her in plotting against the saint, confiscating the property of some of them, imprisoning others, and subjecting them to torture and torment. He then wrote to Pope Innocent about all he had done, humbly and repentantly asking for his forgiveness. He also wrote to his brother Honorius, asking him to implore the pope to lift his excommunication. Arcadius soon received his request. Having read his humble request, the Pope accepted his repentance and wrote to blessed Proclus, who was then Bishop of Cyzicus 7399 , so that he would lift the excommunication from the king and grant him the holy sacraments, and canonize blessed John.
While all this was happening, the All-Seeing Lord Himself took vengeance on the enemies of His saint John. He inflicted cruel punishments on them while still on earth, so that they all died a cruel death. Moreover, all the bishops, clergy, secular dignitaries, and in general all those who had unjustly rebelled against Saint John were covered with painful abscesses that festered their entire flesh and brought them to death. Some had their arms and legs withered; others had their entire bodies rotted and were infested with worms, so that for a long time an unbearable stench emanated from them. One of the unjust judges who had condemned the blessed one to exile fell from his horse and suddenly died, breaking his right hand, with which he had signed the unjust accusations against the innocent John. Another became mute and withered and thus died. The third's tongue, spewing blasphemies against Saint John, grew so swollen that he could not speak. He then confessed his sin, writing it down on a piece of paper. And one could see the manifestations of God's terrible wrath, visited upon those responsible for John's exile through various executions.
Following the death of Pope Innocent, Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria escaped human judgment and punishment, but he did not escape the judgment of God. He went mad and died of this affliction. The legs of Bishop Cyrinus of Chalcedon rotted; doctors repeatedly sawed them off to prevent them from rotting completely, but his flesh continued to rot, and he died after his legs were sawed off at the knees. God's terrible judgment also befell the unfortunate Empress Eudoxia. Stung by grief and shame, she fell ill with severe hemorrhaging, and her flesh swarmed with worms, as the Apostles had foretold to Blessed John. Such a stench emanated from her that passersby could not bear the stench of her flesh. Many experienced physicians treated her and fumigated her with fragrant aromas, but to no avail. Then she asked the doctors:
- Why can’t you cure me of my illness?
They didn't dare explain this to her.
“If you,” the queen told them, “do not know the reason why I cannot recover, then I will tell you: I received this illness as a result of Divine wrath, which befell me for the evil done to Patriarch John.
She returned the vineyard taken from Theognostus's children, and to many others she restored everything she had unjustly taken. However, she was not healed and died in her illness. After her death, to expose her iniquity, the tomb in which she was laid shook constantly for thirty-two years, and this continued until the transfer of the precious relics of St. John Chrysostom from Comana to Constantinople.
Thus did the Lord punish the enemies of Saint John; He glorified the righteous man himself in the following manner. Bishop Adelphius, having graciously received John into his home in Kukuse, upon hearing of the saint's death, fell into great sorrow and began earnestly and tearfully beseeching God to show him the rank of saints among whom John was found. One day, while praying for this, he fell into a trance and beheld a radiant and joyful youth. Taking Adelphius by the hand, the youth led him to a bright spot and showed him a choir of holy teachers of the Church. Glancing this way and that, Adelphius longed to see John, but saw him nowhere. Having shown Adelphius every teacher and patriarch of Constantinople, the youth hastily led him away. Following him, Adelphius was saddened, for he did not see blessed John among the host of holy fathers. But when he was leaving that bright place, someone standing at the door held him by the hand and said:
"Why are you leaving here with such sorrow? Even if someone enters here sad, they return from here happy, but you do the opposite: you entered here happy, but you leave sad."
Adelphius answered:
– Is that why I grieve because I did not see my beloved John among the church teachers?
“Do you understand,” he asked, “John, the preacher of repentance?”
“Yes,” answered Adelphius.
Then the one standing at the gates of paradise said to him:
– A person who is in the body cannot see it, for he stands before the throne of God, which is surrounded by Cherubim and Seraphim.
Having received this news about Saint John, Adelphius rejoiced and glorified God, who had revealed this secret to him. Thus, Saint John, after many troubles, storms, troubles, and sorrows which he had endured for the truth, came to a quiet heavenly haven, where, rejoicing with the angels, he glorified the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the One God in Trinity, to Whom, from us too, be glory, honor, and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/998