04.06 (16.06) 1896 – 19.06 (02.07) 1966
Holy ascetic of universal significance
This word about Archbishop John spontaneously came out of the mouth of one of the priests closest to him, when the bishop was no longer on earth.
How many people know about him at home, in Russia? And in the world thousands of people revere him as a great righteous man.
During his life, he prayed for everyone who needed help, out of the conviction that “all people are equal before God,” and the power of his prayer testified to the truth of Orthodoxy. Vladyka never shared his views, and in general, he was very strict regarding everything related to canonical rules, however, people of different confessions came to his church with gratitude for his prayerful help, and there were many cases of conversion to Orthodoxy.
One Catholic priest, a Frenchman, having exhausted his arguments in a sermon addressed to young people, once exclaimed: “You demand proof, you say that now there are no miracles or saints. Why should I give you theoretical evidence when today a saint walks the streets of Paris - Saint Jean Pieds-Nus (Saint John Discalced)!
In photographs, Bishop John often looked nondescript, that is, completely monastic-like: a stooped figure, dark hair streaked with gray haphazardly flowing over his shoulders. During his lifetime, he also walked with a limp and had a speech impediment that made communication difficult. But all this had absolutely no meaning for those who had to experience the fact that in spiritual terms he was a completely exceptional phenomenon - an ascetic in the image of the saints of the first centuries of Christianity.
Memory of Shanghai
For his spiritual pupils, Vladyka remained the same as he had been before - a friend, a man of prayer, to whom one could turn for help at any day and hour. I was struck by his accessibility, complete unpretentiousness and oblivion of himself for the sake of others. In Europe, Archbishop John was recognized as a man of holy life, so Catholic priests also turned to him with a request to pray for the sick.
And in his declining years, a new church “obedience” awaited him. At the request of thousands of Russians who knew the bishop from Shanghai, he was transferred to the largest cathedral parish of the Russian Church Abroad, in San Francisco.
The situation within the Russian community at that time was difficult; they saw him as the only shepherd capable of restoring the world, and this last segment turned out to be a “godfather” for the bishop in the full sense. To the usual responsibilities were added the troubles associated with the construction of the cathedral in honor of the icon of the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” and caring for the flock in conditions when life according to the “laws of the world” penetrated into the church fence, trying to displace the norms of Christian ethics.
For example, the following episode became a difficult test for Bishop John: somehow on the eve of the day of remembrance of St. right John of Kronstadt, part of his parish became involved in the celebration of the American "", and then, to the complete amazement and shame of the participants, the bishop came to this "ball" and, without uttering a word, slowly walked around the hall, looking into the faces.
And then, as if all hell had rebelled against him, the already middle-aged archbishop faced a trial “before outsiders,” at which he was sued for “concealing the funds collected for the construction of the cathedral.” Ultimately, the charges brought against him were dropped, but then, during the trial, another feature of his spiritual appearance became especially clear - childlike gentleness, a surprisingly peaceful state with which he met attacks against him. Not only during the investigation, but also afterwards, in the circle of loved ones, the bishop refrained from retribution for “like” people, and when asked who was the culprit of the troubles, he answered simply: “The devil.”
The death of Archbishop John was also surprising. On that day, July 2, 1966, he served the liturgy, and remained at the altar for a long time, a total of about three hours. In the materials about his life and ministry collected by the Brotherhood of St. Herman of Alaska, there is also evidence that the bishop was apparently notified of his imminent departure. His death was instantaneous. He remained on his feet until the last, like a monk, and died in a chair in his office.
At the relics of Archbishop John in San Francisco, an unquenchable lamp is maintained and many candles are burning. Now Vladyka John stands before the Lord for his Orthodox Church and for the world, already in the Heavenly Church, Triumphant.
To the address of the brotherhood, Rev. Herman of Alaska, from year to year, certificates of help come from prayers addressed to him. And in courses on hagiology, Vladika John is already described as an ascetic who combined several forms of service: a missionary saint, a theologian, an ascetic man of prayer, a trustee of the poor and a merciful, perspicacious elder.
In 2008, by the decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco was glorified as a pan-church saint, his name was included in the Months of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Footnotes:
[i] Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. Preliminary information about the life and miracles of Archbishop John (Maksimovich)./ Ascetics of piety of the 20th century. Rule of Faith, Russian Pilgrim. M., 1993. S. 61-62
Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. pp. 293-294
Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. P.218
The Bishop followed the rules of monastic life of Paisius the Great (IV century), who received the following rule from the mouth of an angel: “And they (monks) should not sleep lying down, but you must make such seats so that they have support for the head.” (Quoted from: Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. P. 30)
[v] Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. P. 69
Quote by: Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. P. 47
Quote by: Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. P. 31.
It was the day of the heavenly patron of the Kronstadt shepherd - Rev. John of Rylsky
He then told one of the parishioners that he would no longer have to receive his blessing.
Recommended reading sources and literature:
- Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Hegumen Herman (Podmoshensky). Blessed John the Wonderworker. Preliminary information about the life and miracles of Archbishop John (Maksimovich)./ Ascetics of piety of the 20th century. Rule of Faith, Russian Pilgrim. M., 1993
- Saint of the Russian Diaspora, Ecumenical Wonderworker John (Maksimovich). M., 1997.
- Savva (Sarashevich), bishop. Chronicle of veneration of the archbishop. John (Maksimovich): Miracles of God today. Platinum; M.: Valaamsk. society, 1998.
- Determination of the consecrated Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church according to the report of the Chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna.Council of Bishops 2008 (http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/427141.html)
- John of Shanghai (Maksimovich). Material from Wikipedia. Free encyclopedia. (http://ru.wikipedia.org)
In 1994, on June 19 / July 2, the Russian Orthodox Church abroad glorified one of the greatest ascetics of Orthodoxy as one of its revered saints. XX century, a prayer book for all the suffering and needy, a protector and shepherd who found themselves far from their long-suffering Motherland - St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco. It is providential that this happened on the eve of the celebration of the day of remembrance of All Saints who shone in the Russian land. It is also providential that in the year when Holy Rus' celebrates the 1020th anniversary of its baptism, the Council of Bishops of the newly united Russian Orthodox Church established church-wide veneration of St. John.
Believers from all over the world began to flock to the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco a few days before the glorification of the saint. Daily funeral liturgies were performed, memorial services were served hourly, confession was continuous.
Two days before the celebration, on Thursday, during the liturgy, communion was taught from five cups. The cathedral, in which there could only be a thousand people, could not accommodate all the believers, and about three thousand people stood outside, where all the services were broadcast on a large screen. Three miraculous icons of the Mother of God were present at the celebrations: the Kursk-Root, the Iveron myrrh-streaming icon and the local shrine - the renewed Vladimir Icon. The glorification was led by the oldest hierarch of the Russian Church abroad, Metropolitan Vitaly. He was concelebrated by 10 bishops and 160 clergy.
On Friday, July 1, at 1:30 pm in the lower church, the relics of St. John of Shanghai were transferred by Metropolitan Vitaly from the tomb to a shrine made of expensive wood. The saint was dressed in snow-white vestments, trimmed with silver braid and crosses; his slippers were sewn in Siberia, his undercoat was also from Russia. The reliquary was solemnly transferred to the upper temple. At 4:30 the last funeral service was performed.
During the all-night vigil before the polyeleos, Metropolitan Vitaly opened the shrine: the holy relics, except for the face, were open, the hands were visible. The icon of the saint was raised high by two tall priests, and glorification of the saint was sung publicly. The application to the relics ended at 11 o'clock at night.
On Saturday, services alternated in the chapels of the temple. The first liturgy was celebrated at 2 a.m. by Bishop Ambrose of Vevey. Over 20 priests concelebrated with him. The reliquary was brought by the clergy into the altar and placed on a high place. The second liturgy began at 5 a.m., with about 300 people receiving communion. And at 7 o’clock in the morning at the Divine Liturgy, 11 bishops and about 160 clergy united around Metropolitan Vitaly. Three choirs sang and there were about 700 communicants. The religious procession went around the entire block, all directions of the world were overshadowed by miraculous icons. Then the holy relics were placed in a specially constructed vestibule in the temple. The service ended at 1:30 pm. The festive meal brought together about two thousand people. Behind her a word of praise was read to Saint John. Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany delivered a speech befitting the occasion.
The celebrations continued on the second day, on the Sunday of All Saints Who Shone in the Russian Land. The flow of pilgrims to the saint’s shrine did not stop.
This is how a great spiritual celebration took place - the canonization of St. John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai, in the city of San Francisco on July 2, 1994. This event not only filled the hearts of Russians living abroad with joy, but also gladdened the hearts of many people in Russia who knew about the extraordinary life of Bishop John. It also embraced converts to Orthodoxy scattered throughout the world - Orthodox French, Dutch, Americans...
Who was this man who shrewdly went to the sick, brought the dying person back to life, cast out demons from the possessed?
Childhood and adolescence of the future saint
The future Saint John was born in the village of Adamovka, Kharkov province, on June 4, 1896. In holy baptism he was named Michael - in honor of the holy archangel of God. His family, the Maksimovichs, had long been distinguished by their piety. In the 18th century, St. John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk, the enlightener of Siberia, who sent the first Orthodox mission to China, became famous from this family; After his death, many miracles happened at his grave. He was glorified in 1916, and his incorruptible relics rest in Tobolsk to this day.Misha Maksimovich was a sickly child. He maintained good relations with everyone, but did not have particularly close friends. He loved animals, especially dogs. He did not like noisy children's games and was often immersed in his thoughts.
Since childhood, Misha was deeply religious. At his consecration in 1934, he described the mood of his childhood years as follows: “From the very first days that I began to become conscious of myself, I wanted to serve righteousness and truth. My parents kindled in me the zeal to stand unwaveringly for the truth, and my soul was captivated by the example of those who gave their lives for it.”
He loved to play “monastery,” dressing up toy soldiers as monks and making monasteries out of toy fortresses.
He collected icons, religious and historical books - and this is how he formed a large library. But most of all he loved to read the lives of saints. In this way he had a great influence on his brothers and sister, who, thanks to him, knew the lives of saints and Russian history.
Michael's holy and righteous life made a strong impression on his French governess, a Catholic, and she converted to Orthodoxy (Misha was then 15 years old). He helped her prepare for this step and taught her prayers.
The country estate of the Maksimovichs, where the whole family spent the summer, was located 12 miles from the famous Svyatogorsk Monastery. Parents often visited the monastery and lived there for a long time. Crossing the gates of the monastery, Misha enthusiastically entered the monastic element. They lived there according to the Athos rule, there were majestic temples, the high “Mount Tabor”, caves, monasteries and a large brotherhood of 600 monks, among whom were schema-monks. All this attracted Misha, whose life from childhood was built on the lives of saints, and encouraged him to often come to the monastery.
When he was 11 years old, he entered the Poltava Cadet Corps. And here he remained just as quiet and religious, looking little like a soldier. At this school, when he was 13 years old, he distinguished himself by one act that brought upon him charges of “disturbing order.” The cadets often marched ceremoniously to the city of Poltava. In 1909, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava, this march was especially solemn. When the cadets passed in front of the Poltava Cathedral, Mikhail turned to him and... crossed himself. For this, his fellow students ridiculed him for a long time, and his superiors punished him. But through the intercession of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, the punishment was replaced with a commendable review indicating the boy’s sound religious feelings. So the ridicule of his comrades gave way to respect.
After graduating from the cadet corps, Misha wanted to enter the Kyiv Theological Academy. But his parents insisted that he enter the Kharkov Law School, and, for the sake of obedience, he began to prepare for a career as a lawyer.
The relics of Archbishop Meletius († 1841) rested in Kharkov. He was an ascetic; he practically never slept, was a seer and predicted his death. Requiem services were constantly being served at his tomb, under the temple... The same thing was later repeated in the fate of Bishop John.
During his studies in Kharkov - in the years when a person matures - the future saint realized the whole meaning of his spiritual education. While other young people referred to religion as “old wives' tales,” he began to understand the wisdom hidden in the lives of the saints compared to a university course. And he indulged in reading them, although he excelled in legal sciences. Assimilating the worldview and comprehending the variety of activities of the saints - ascetic labors and prayer, he loved them with all his heart, was completely saturated with their spirit and began to live according to their example.
The entire Maksimovich family was devoted to the Orthodox Tsar, and young Mikhail, naturally, did not accept the February Revolution. At one of the parish meetings it was proposed to melt down the bell - he alone prevented this. With the arrival of the Bolsheviks, Mikhail Maksimovich was sent to prison. Released and jailed again. He was finally released only when they were convinced that it did not matter to him where he was - in prison or in another place. He literally lived in another world and simply refused to adapt to the reality that governs the lives of most people - he decided to unwaveringly follow the path of Divine law.
Emigration. In Yugoslavia
During the civil war, together with his parents, brothers and sister, Mikhail was evacuated to Yugoslavia, where he entered the University of Belgrade. He graduated from its Theological Faculty in 1925, earning his living by selling newspapers. In 1926, in the Milkovsky Monastery, Mikhail Maksimovich was tonsured a monk by Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), and with a name in honor of his distant relative - St. John of Tobolsk. On the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, a 30-year-old monk became a hieromonk.In 1928, Father John was appointed teacher of the law at the Bitola Seminary. 400-500 students studied there. And Father John, with love, prayer and labor, began to educate young people. He knew each student, his needs, and he could help each one resolve any confusion and give good advice.
One of the students spoke of him this way: “Father John loved us all, and we loved him. In our eyes, he was the embodiment of all Christian virtues: peaceful, calm, meek. He became so close to us that we treated him like an older brother, loved and respected. There was no conflict, personal or social, that he could not resolve. There was no question to which he did not have an answer. It was enough for someone on the street to ask him something, and he would immediately give an answer. If the question was more important, he would usually answer it after church service, in class, or in the cafeteria. His answer was always informatively rich, clear, complete and competent, because it came from a highly educated person who had two university degrees - in theology and in law. He prayed for us daily and nightly. Every night he, like a guardian angel, protected us: he adjusted the pillow for one, the blanket for another. Always, entering or leaving a room, he blessed us with the sign of the cross. When he prayed, the students felt that he was talking with the inhabitants of the heavenly world.”
Bishop Nikolai (Velimirović) of Ohrid, the great Serbian theologian and preacher, once addressed a group of students like this: “Children, listen to Father John! He is an angel of God in human form."
A completely fabulous episode happened with Father John when he was called to his consecration in Belgrade in 1934. Arriving in Belgrade, he met a lady he knew on the street and began to explain to her that there had been a misunderstanding: they were supposed to consecrate some Father John, but they called him by mistake. Soon he met her again and, puzzled, explained to her that it turned out that the consecration concerned him.
Sending him as a bishop to China, Metropolitan Anthony wrote: “Instead of me, as my own soul, as my heart, I send you Bishop John. This small, frail man, almost a child in appearance, was in fact a mirror of ascetic firmness in our time of general spiritual relaxation.”
In the Far East. Shanghai
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The bishop paid special attention to religious education and made it a rule to attend oral examinations on the law of God in all Orthodox schools in Shanghai. He simultaneously became a trustee of various charitable societies, actively participating in their work.
He set up an orphanage for orphans and children of needy parents, entrusting them to the heavenly patronage of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, who especially loved children. The Bishop himself picked up sick and starving children on the streets and in the dark alleys of the Shanghai slums. Vladyka tried to replace their father, especially paying attention to them during the great holidays of Christmas and Easter, when parents try so hard to please their children. On such days, he liked to organize evenings for the children, for example with a Christmas tree, performances, and got them spiritual instruments.
His joy was to see young people united in the brotherhood of St. Joasaph of Belgorod, where conversations were held on religious and philosophical topics, and Bible study classes.
The Bishop was extremely strict with himself. His feat was based on prayer and fasting. He took food once a day - at 11 pm. During the first and last weeks of Great Lent I did not eat at all, and on the remaining days of Great Lent and Nativity - only altar bread. He usually spent his nights in prayer and, when his strength was exhausted, he laid his head on the floor or found brief peace sitting in a chair.
Miracles through the prayers of Bishop John
There are numerous miracles that occurred through the prayers of Bishop John. The description of some of them will allow us to imagine the comprehensive spiritual power of the saint.A seven-year-old girl fell ill at the shelter. By nightfall, her temperature rose and she began to scream in pain. At midnight she was sent to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a volvulus. A council of doctors was convened, who told the mother that the girl’s condition was hopeless and that she would not endure the operation. The mother asked to save her daughter and perform an operation, and at night she went to Vladyka John. The Bishop called the mother to the cathedral, opened the royal doors and began to pray in front of the throne, and the mother, kneeling in front of the iconostasis, also fervently prayed for her daughter. This lasted a long time, and morning had already arrived when Vladyka John approached the mother, blessed her and said that she could go home - her daughter would be alive and well. The mother rushed to the hospital. The surgeon told her that the operation was successful, but he had never seen such a case in his practice. Only God could save the girl through the prayers of her mother.
A seriously ill woman in the hospital called to the bishop. The doctor said that she was dying and there was no need to bother the bishop. The next day, the bishop arrived at the hospital and said to the woman: “Why are you stopping me from praying, because now I have to perform the liturgy.” He gave communion to the dying woman, blessed her and left. The patient fell asleep and began to recover quickly after that.
A former teacher at a commercial school fell ill. At the hospital, doctors diagnosed severely inflamed appendicitis and said he could die on the operating table. The sick man’s wife went to Vladyka John, told him everything and asked him to pray. Vladyka went to the hospital, laid his hands on the patient’s head, prayed for a long time, blessed him and left. The next day, the nurse told his wife that when she approached the patient, she saw him sitting on the bed, the sheet on which he slept was covered in pus and blood: appendicitis had burst at night. The patient recovered.
After the evacuation from China, Bishop John and his flock found themselves in the Philippines. One day he visited the hospital. Terrible screams were heard from somewhere far away. To the bishop’s question, the nurse answered that she was a hopeless patient who was isolated because she was bothering everyone with her screams. Vladyka wanted to go there immediately, but the nurse did not advise him, since the stench emanated from the patient. “It doesn’t matter,” the bishop answered and headed to another building. He placed a cross on the woman’s head and began to pray, then confessed her and gave her communion. When he left, she no longer screamed, but moaned quietly. Some time later, the bishop visited the hospital again, and this woman herself ran out to meet him.
Here is a case of exorcism. A father talks about the healing of his son. “My son was obsessed, he hated everything holy, all holy icons and crosses, he split them into the thinnest sticks and was very happy about it. I took him to Vladyka John, and he put him on his knees, placing either a cross or the Gospel on his head. My son was very sad after this, and sometimes ran away from the cathedral. But the bishop told me not to despair. He said that he would continue to pray for him, and over time he would get better, but for now let him continue to be treated by doctors. “Don’t worry, the Lord is not without mercy.”
This went on for several years. One day my son was reading the Gospel at home. His face was bright and joyful. And he told his father that he needed to go to Minhon (30-40 km from Shanghai), to a mental hospital, where he sometimes went: “I need to go there, there the Spirit of God will cleanse me from the spirit of evil and darkness, and I then I will go to the Lord,” he said. They brought him to Minhon. Two days later, his father came to visit him and saw that his son was restless, constantly tossing about in bed, and suddenly he began shouting: “Don’t, don’t come near me, I don’t want you!”
The father went out into the corridor to find out who was coming. The corridor was long and opened onto an alley. There the father saw a car, Bishop John got out of it and headed towards the hospital. The father entered the room and saw that his son was thrashing about on the bed and shouting: “Don’t come, I don’t want you, go away, go away!” Then he calmed down and began to quietly pray.
At this time, footsteps were heard along the corridor. The patient jumped out of bed and ran down the corridor in only his pajamas. Having met the bishop, he fell on his knees in front of him and cried, asking him to drive away the spirit of evil from him. Vladyka put his hands on his head and read prayers, then took him by the shoulders and led him into the ward, where he put him on the bed and prayed over him. Then he gave communion.
When the bishop left, the patient said: “Well, the healing has finally taken place, and now the Lord will accept me to Himself. Dad, take me quickly, I have to die at home.” When the father brought his son home, he was happy to see everything in his room, especially the icons; began to pray and took the Gospel. The next day he began to urge his father to quickly call the priest so that he could receive communion again. The father said that he only received communion yesterday, but the son objected and said: “Dad, hurry up, hurry up, otherwise you won’t have time.” Father called. The priest arrived and my son received Holy Communion once again. When the father accompanied the priest to the stairs and returned, his son’s face changed, smiled at him again and quietly went to the Lord.
This is how God was glorified in the actions of St. John.
But there were people who hated him, slandered him, tried to push him aside, and there were even those who tried to poison him and almost succeeded in this, for the saint was dying.
During the evacuation from communist China, Bishop John showed himself to be a good shepherd, leading his flock to a quiet refuge, a shepherd ready to lay down his life for his sheep. There is a known case when he sat for days on the steps of the White House in Washington and thus obtained permission for five thousand refugees to enter the United States.
In Western Europe
In the early 1950s, Bishop John was appointed to the Western European See with the title of Archbishop of Brussels and Western Europe. He settled in the cadet corps in Versailles. And again in front of his beloved children.
Vladyka turned out to be an indispensable guardian and father for the sisters of the Lesna monastery, who had just evacuated from Yugoslavia. He served with particular zeal in the memorial church in Brussels, erected in memory of the royal family and all the victims of the revolution. He found a good mansion in Paris and built his cathedral in it, dedicated to All Russian Saints. The Bishop tirelessly toured the churches of his widely spread diocese. He constantly visited hospitals and prisons.
In Western Europe, his work acquired apostolic significance. He introduced the veneration of Western saints of the first centuries, submitting to the Synod for approval a list with detailed information about the life path of each individual saint. He contributed to the development of the French and Dutch Churches. Although the results in this area are questioned by many, he could not refuse his support to those seeking the Orthodox faith and life, obviously pinning his hope on the spiritual disposition of individuals. This activity of his found its justification in many cases. Let us only point out the fact that the Spanish priest he ordained served for about 20 years as rector in the Parisian church he created.
Through the prayers of Bishop John, many miracles occurred in Western Europe. A special collection will be required to testify about them.
In addition to such diverse miraculous phenomena as clairvoyance and healing of mental and physical infirmities, there are two testimonies that the ruler was at some point in the radiance and standing in the air. One nun of the Lesna monastery testified to this, as well as reader Gregory in the Church of All Russian Saints in Paris. The latter, having once finished reading the hours, went up to the altar for additional instructions and saw through the slightly open side door Vladyka John in radiant light and standing not on the ground, but at a height of about 30 cm.
In the United States of America. San Francisco
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But it was not easy for the bishop. He had to endure a lot meekly and silently. He was even forced to appear in a public court, which was a flagrant violation of church canons, demanding an answer to the absurd accusation that he had concealed dishonest financial transactions of the parish council. True, all those brought to justice were eventually acquitted, but the last years of the bishop’s life were darkened by bitterness from reproach and persecution, which he always endured without complaint or condemnation of anyone.
Accompanying the miraculous Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God to Seattle, Bishop John on June 19/July 2, 1966 stopped at the local St. Nicholas Cathedral - a temple-monument to the Russian New Martyrs. After serving the Divine Liturgy, he remained alone in the altar for another three hours. Then, having visited the spiritual children who lived near the cathedral with the miraculous icon, he went to the room of the church house where he usually stayed. Suddenly a roar was heard, and those who came running saw that the bishop had fallen and was already leaving. They sat him in a chair, and in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God he gave up his soul to God, fell asleep for this world, which he so clearly predicted to many.
For six days Vladyka John lay in an open coffin, and, despite the summer heat, not the slightest smell of decay was felt from him, and his hand was soft, not numb.
Discovery of holy relics
On May 2/15, 1993, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad decided to canonize Archbishop John of Shanghai and San Francisco.
A preliminary examination of his honest remains took place on September 28 / October 11, 1993. The secondary examination and revegetation of the remains of the saint took place on December 1/14, 1993, on the day of remembrance of the righteous Philaret the Merciful.
While singing the irmos of the great canon “Helper and Patron,” the lid was removed from the coffin, and before the clergy, overcome with awe and reverence, the imperishable remains of the bishop appeared: eyebrows, eyelashes, hair, mustaches, and beard were preserved; the mouth is slightly open, the hands are slightly raised, the fingers are partially bent, giving the impression that the bishop is preaching with the movement of his hand; all muscles, tendons, nails are preserved; the body is light, dried, frozen.
While singing the canon of St. Andrew of Crete, they began to anoint the entire body with oil. Then the holy relics were anointed with myrrh from the myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God of Iveron while singing the troparion “From Thy holy icon, O Lady Theotokos...”. After this, they began to put on new clothes, up to the bishop’s vestments of snow-white color with silver braid and crosses.
The final funeral litany was served.
“Eternal memory” spread throughout the universe. And then they sang with enthusiasm: “Master of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, lamp of the universe, God-inspired fertilizer for the bishops, John, the wise, with your teachings you have enlightened everything, spiritual priest, pray to Christ God to save our souls.”
04.07.2014Troparion to Saint John, voice 5
Your care for your flock on their journey, / this is a prototype of your prayers, ever offered up for the whole world: / thus we believe, having known your love, to the saint and miracle worker John! / Everything is sanctified by God through the sacred rites of the most pure mysteries, / with them we ourselves are constantly strengthened, / you hastened to the suffering, / the most joyful healer. // Make haste now to help us, who honor you with all our hearts.
Friday
Your care for your flock on their journey, / this is a prototype of your prayers, ever offered up for the whole world: / thus we believe, having known your love, to the saint and miracle worker John! / Everything is sanctified by God through the sacred rites of the most pure mysteries, / with them we ourselves are constantly strengthened, / you hastened to the suffering, / the most joyful healer. // Hasten even now to help us, who honor you with all our hearts (troparion to St. John, tone 5).
On June 19 (July 2) the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the great saint of God, prayer book and ascetic St. John of Shanghai and the Wonderworker of San Francisco. Saint John dedicated his entire life to the Lord and to serving his neighbors. Even during his lifetime, the bishop’s contemporaries revered him as a saint; thousands of people of different faiths turned to him for help, and not one of them left the saint inconsolable. One Catholic pastor, a Frenchman, when asked whether there are saints in the world, exclaimed this way, addressing the youth who questioned him: “You demand proof, you say that now there are no miracles or saints. Why should I give you theoretical evidence when today a saint walks the streets of Paris - Saint Jean Pieds-Nus (Saint John Discalced)!
The saint was an unusual person. His main unusualness was that he resolutely and forever devoted his life to God. Only the Lord lived in his heart, and his ardent faith was active to the point of exhaustion. Not only the huge number of Russian emigrants who left Russia during the Civil War, but also thousands of foreigners (Asians, Europeans, Americans), whom the bishop saved from inevitable starvation, serious illnesses and despair, owe the saint the salvation of their lives. Saint John is an example for us of how a Christian should work for the Lord. After all, the saints were given to us not so that we selfishly ask them for various benefits, but first of all so that we learn from them the feat of life.
The appearance of the ruler was also unusual. He looked unattractive: a stooped figure, dark hair streaked with gray messily flowing over his shoulders, a limp when walking and speech impediments. In the akathist to the saint there are these words: “Preaching salvation, like a new Moses, the evil one appeared...” (kontakion 6). “This small, physically weak man, almost like a child in appearance, is a miracle of ascetic fortitude and severity,” Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who ordained him as a bishop, said about St. John of Shanghai. Archpriest Elijah Wen, who spent many years with the saint in Shanghai, recalled: “The bishop himself always preached during services, but it was very difficult to understand him...”
The saint walked in light sandals in any weather, while dressing in the simplest clothes. When meeting him, you could not even guess that this was a bishop of God. And in general, if you look at the photographs of the bishop, he does not at all look like the majestic gray-haired old man from whom an unearthly radiance emanates. Before us is a tired, stooped, plain-looking man with patched clothes. But his eyes...his gaze is kind and penetrates to the very depths of the human heart. “Vladyka John wore inexpensive clothes made in China, slippers or sandals without socks, no matter what the weather was like. The children of the orphanage were once very surprised to see that the socks they had knitted for the Bishop were being worn by beggars on the street.”
The parishioners who interacted with the bishop were sometimes embarrassed by this appearance of the saint. They even complained about his bare feet, about which they wrote a letter to Metropolitan Anastasius. He asked the bishop to wear shoes and not embarrass the people. The saint carried out the instructions exactly (it is no coincidence that by his main education he was a lawyer, graduating from the Faculty of Law of Kharkov University in 1918). Saint John began to wear shoes everywhere... holding them by the laces. After such “execution,” the Metropolitan had no choice but to demand that the Bishop put on his shoes. Since then he started wearing them.
They remember about the saint: “In the remote Shanghai slums, a barefoot man in shabby clothes walks along the crooked narrow streets. Sometimes he stops near some shelter and starts a conversation with beggars and vagabonds. Then he moves on. At the next hotel for the poorest, he lingers again, talks with its inhabitants and again continues on his way. So all evening he wanders from shelter to shelter. Perhaps this is a completely unfortunate tramp who does not have enough money even for the cheapest overnight stay. Suddenly a woman comes up to him and bows her head respectfully, and the “tramp” with a smile blesses her with a sweeping sign of the cross. And it immediately became clear that this was not a beggar, but the new bishop of Shanghai. True, his cassock really looks more like a beggar’s rags, and he has no shoes on his feet.”
With his “hikings” through unsafe places in Shanghai, the saint healed human souls crippled by sin with love and often saved people’s lives.
There is a well-known incident that occurred during the stay of the saint and his flock in Shanghai. An admirer of St. John, the clergyman of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” erected through the efforts of the bishop, in San Francisco, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, in a book he compiled based on the memoirs of various contemporaries of the saint, gives the following story: “One of the most significant deeds of Bishop John was the establishment of an orphanage in the name of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk († 1783), who, like Bishop John, loved children very much. Street children were the first thing that struck him upon his arrival in Shanghai... Vladyka himself picked up sick and hungry children abandoned on the streets of Shanghai. Having learned from the newspapers that in some poor neighborhoods of the city dogs sometimes tear apart babies thrown into garbage cans, Bishop John went there, accompanied by Maria Alexandrovna Shakhmatova. He asked her in advance to get him two bottles of Chinese vodka and, when he revealed to her where they were going, he scared her very much, since it was known that anyone could be killed there. Nevertheless, she gave in to the young bishop’s persuasion and went with him through the dark streets where drunkards and all sorts of shady characters lived. Trembling, she clutched two bottles; suddenly they heard a drunk man muttering something in the doorway, and a child moaning weakly in the trash can. When the bishop walked towards the child, the drunk man leaned forward threateningly. Then Bishop John turned to Maria Alexandrovna and asked her for a bottle. Raising the bottle in one hand and pointing at the baby with the other hand, the bishop wordlessly made it clear that he was offering a “deal.” The bottle ended up in the hands of a drunken man, and Maria Alexandrovna Shakhmatova took the child. As night fell, Bishop John entered the shelter, bringing with him two children. Such fearlessness could only be acquired at the cost of strong spiritual warfare” (Vladyka John - Saint of the Russian Abroad / Compiled by Archpriest Peter Perekrestova. -3rd ed., revised - M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2009. P.64).
We thank the Lord that through the efforts of the faithful admirers of the saint, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov and the rector of our church, Archpriest Georgy Gutorov, pieces of the relics of the great Russian saint were donated to the Church of the Deposition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Leonovo (March 2012) and to the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God from San Francisco.
Saint John led an ascetic life, was an ascetic and prayed incessantly. From the day he took monastic vows, he never went to bed and slept either on a chair or on the floor. In general, according to the recollections of his contemporaries, he slept little, sometimes not at all, but could pray all night. Due to the lack of normal sleep, the bishop sometimes dozed off on the road or while communicating with an interlocutor, but never “switched off.” Father John did not tell anyone about his ascetic feat, and only thanks to one stupid prank of his students did it become known. Wanting to play a trick on the teacher, they secretly placed pushpins under his sheet. But when it was time to change the linen, it turned out that all the buttons were in place, and Father John did not even touch the bed.
They recalled: “One evening, during a conversation with me in his office, Father John answered the phone that rang on his desk. I don’t know who he was talking to then, but I will never forget how, while continuing the conversation, he suddenly dropped the telephone receiver and dozed off. The receiver lay in his cassock on his lap, and he, dozing, continued to talk with the person who called him. According to all the laws of nature, it was absolutely impossible for a sleeping person to hear the one who called, and even more so to answer him in a dream. However, from the duration and meaning of what he said, it was clear to me that - miraculously - a conversation was taking place!
In addition to the feat of unceasing night prayer, the saint made it a rule to eat once a day, late in the evening. And if he did not have time to eat due to his many tasks, then the next meal was postponed until the evening of another day. At the same time, the bishop showed extreme prudence when assigning obediences and labors in relation to other people, trying to observe moderation in everything. Bishop John advised young people to avoid extremes. Here is what Father Georgy Larin says: “Vladyka John became an ideal for me, and I decided to imitate him in everything. One day during Lent, I stopped sleeping on the bed and lay on the floor, stopped having dinner with my family, switched to bread and water, etc. My parents were upset and took me to the good bishop. Hearing their complaints against me, he ordered the attendant to go to the store and bring bolognese. In response to my tears - “it’s still Lent!” - the wise archpastor told me to eat the sausage he brought and always remember that obedience to parents is more important than unauthorized fasting... I remember how angry I was that he did not assign me some “special” ascetic feat” (Larin G., Archpriest of Shanghai // Russian revival. 1985. No. 1. P.69).
The saint treated divine services with special love. He tried to serve the liturgy every day. His services were very long. In the evening Vespers and Compline were celebrated. At Compline, from one to three canons to the saints were necessarily read out in advance. At 6 o'clock in the morning the Midnight Office, Matins and Liturgy were served. During the proskomedia he remembered an extraordinary number of names. Contemporaries testify to the extraordinary power of the saint’s prayer during the liturgy. His prayer literally poured out on everyone present, as one of the believers who attended his service in Europe states: “The power and penetration of Archbishop John’s service captures all praying souls. During his service, it is more clearly felt that during the holy liturgical hours the line between heaven and earth is erased and the created world during these hours lives a divine life, breaking away from earthly life - “let us now put aside all worldly concerns.”
Olga Ivanovna Semenyuk, who, in her words, “was fortunate when the doctors entrusted her with caring for Bishop John during his illness,” testifies: “Then for the first time in my life I saw a man wholly devoted to the Lord. He did not interrupt his prayers for a minute. The doctors' orders were completely ignored by him, and no force could prevent him from serving. Sometimes the doctors put him to bed, but a few minutes passed, and he was already at the altar...” There is confirmation of this: “Once, from constant standing, the bishop’s leg became seriously swollen, and a council of doctors, fearing gangrene, prescribed him immediate hospitalization, which he categorically refused. Then the Russian doctors notified the parish council that they absolved themselves of any responsibility for his condition and even for his life. After much persuasion by members of the council, who were even ready to forcibly hospitalize him, the bishop was forced to agree and in the morning, the day before the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he was sent to a Russian hospital. However, by six o’clock, limping, he came to the cathedral on foot and began to serve. Within a day the swelling was completely gone.”
Even on the way, the bishop did not abandon divine services - he took with him all the necessary daily liturgical books, including his Menaions in Greek, if he suspected that he would have to read Vespers in the waiting room at the station or serve the liturgy on a ship. But, as Archimandrite Ambrose Pogodin writes, “only his cell and the churches where he prayed could tell about the night prayers of the late Bishop and his other prayerful feats. It remained hidden to us."
It is known that even for the sake of solving important matters, the saint never shortened the service. In one of the cities of Western Europe, in order to resolve issues of refugee accommodation, he had to appear at a strictly appointed time to a high official. However, in the morning the Bishop served in the temple; the service, as usual, was very long and ended only at noon. Despite the great delay, Father John was received by the official and all the problems facing the flock were resolved.
Saint John treated the shrine with the same reverence. Let us cite just one of many amazing stories: “In Shanghai there was such an amazing incident that could not better characterize the great soul of our departed shepherd, his unshakable faith. One woman, Menshikova, was bitten by a rabid dog; She either refused to take anti-rabies injections, or did them carelessly, violating the basic rules prescribed in connection with injections. And the day came when this woman fell ill with the terrible disease of rabies. Vladyka John found out, as he always knew, about all the sick, suffering and dying, and with the Holy Gifts he hurried to the dying Menshikova. The Bishop gave Holy Communion to the sick woman, but at that time one of the attacks of this terrible disease occurred to her, and she spat out the Holy Communion with foam coming from her lips. A particle of Holy Communion cannot be thrown away, and the Bishop picked up and put into his mouth the particle of Holy Communion spat out by the sick person. The servants who were with him exclaimed: “What are you doing, Master! Rabies is a terrible infection!” But the Bishop calmly replied: “Nothing will happen - these are the Holy Gifts.” And really, nothing happened.”
And how many miracles were performed by the saint during his lifetime! It is no coincidence that he was nicknamed the miracle worker. There are even more of them after the righteous death of the ruler. The saint provided and continues to provide special care to seriously ill people. There are thousands of cases of healing of terminally ill people through his prayers to God. In addition to constantly visiting hospitals, the bishop came to prisons, visited the mentally ill, treated the possessed, and participated in the construction of shelters, almshouses, and churches. He lived for his neighbor, completely and selflessly devoting himself to the service of God. For an ordinary person, the volume of work with which the ruler was busy was beyond his strength. It is no coincidence that Saint John especially venerated the All-Russian shepherd John of Kronstadt: the feat of life of both miracle workers is similar in greatness and devotion to the Lord.
The death of the saint was peaceful and quiet. On July 2, 1966, during an archpastoral visit to the city of Seattle with the miraculous icon of the Kursk-Root Mother of God (at the age of 71), the bishop served the Divine Liturgy and remained in the altar alone with the icon for another three hours, then visiting the spiritual children near the cathedral with the miraculous icon. proceeded to the room of the church house where he was staying. Entering the room, the people in the house heard the sound of a falling body and hurried to it. The dying bishop was seated in a chair, in which he went to the Lord.
The bishop lay in the coffin for six days, but, despite the heat, no smell of decay was felt, and his hand remained soft. At the funeral service, both the multitude of those gathered and the bishops themselves who performed the service could not hold back their sobs. It is surprising that at the same time, the temple was filled with quiet joy. Eyewitnesses noted that it seemed as if they were present not at a funeral, but at the unveiling of the relics of a newly discovered saint.
After his death, the ruler appeared to some of his spiritual children in a dream. But his most striking appearance, which perhaps has ecclesiastical significance, was to the long-term head of the St. Tikhon’s orphanage, M.A. Shakhmatova. He impressively and firmly told her: “Tell the people, although I died, I am alive.”
We thank the Lord, His Most Holy Mother, for making us sinners worthy to receive the help of such a great saint and wonderworker as John of Shanghai and San Francisco. Let us also heartily pray for the repose of the souls of the parents of Bishop Boris and Glafira Maksimovich, who raised their son Michael (the name given to the saint at birth before his monastic tonsure) in piety, kindling in him an ardent love for the Lord. Let us also try, at least a little, to be like St. John, serving our neighbors, visiting the sick, the disadvantaged, and prisoners. The saint is alive. He, as in earthly life, helps everyone who turns to him with faith and love. You just need to be diligent in prayer. Saint John helped the author of these lines create an Orthodox family. After many years of childlessness, he blessed the deacon of the Deposition of the Robe Church in Leonovo with the birth of a child...
Our Hierarch John, pray to God for us!
Troshchinsky Pavel
The life of every person is largely determined by meetings with people. And how important it is when on the path of life you meet a person of exceptional fortitude...
Today we are talking about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco and the book of Abbot Herman (Podmoshensky) “The Price of Holiness.”
In the 50s of the 20th century, Gleb Podmoshensky, the son of emigrants from Russia, studied at the theological seminary at the Holy Trinity Monastery in the American town of Jordanville.
One day, the seminarians learned that Archbishop John of Shanghai was coming from Europe to the Holy Trinity Monastery, this spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.
In general terms, the seminarians knew the unusual biography of St. John (Maksimovich). He was born in Russia, in the town of Adamovka, Kharkov province, studied in Kharkov - during the civil war, his entire family emigrated to Serbia. In Serbia he became a monk with the name John, in honor of his holy ancestor, the famous church figure of the 18th century, Metropolitan John of Tobolsk.
Small in stature, as active as a child, Bishop John of Shanghai was completely different from the stately archpastor whom seminarian Gleb (in the future - Abbot Herman Podmoshensky) expected to see.
HERMAN (PODMOSHENSKY):
Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco
“...In front of me stood a hunched monk of incredibly short stature with disheveled gray hair, wearing a black hood worn on one side and with a rather stern expression on his face... I knew that before me stood a saint who had come from another world, a living martyr from suffering Russia ... I felt that something extraordinary was concentrated in this fragile, bent, but energetic mysterious old man.”
Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Support of Sinners”.
View of the cathedral from the west in 1948
In 1937, Father John was consecrated Bishop of Shanghai and went to China. In Shanghai, he launched a vigorous activity and became a spiritual mentor for thousands of Russian emigrants. Thanks to the efforts of Bishop John of Shanghai, a large cathedral was built in the city in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Support of Sinners”, and an orphanage was opened for orphans.
When the communists came to power in China after the Great Patriotic War, a large colony of Russian emigrants found temporary refuge in the Philippines. Archbishop John of Shanghai flew to America and managed to get the Senate to admit Russian emigrants to the United States. Most of the refugees settled in San Francisco.
Bishop John himself continued his ministry in Western Europe, becoming Bishop of Brussels and Western Europe. He often came to America, where there were many of his spiritual children - emigrants from Shanghai.
In 1962, Bishop John was appointed Bishop of San Francisco and managed to work in America for several years.
Many people remember the incident when Bishop John unexpectedly appeared at the Russian Center in San Francisco, where Halloween was celebrated.
HERMAN (PODMOSHENSKY):
... With anger, the lord opened the door with his staff, entered and saw that his flock, dressed up in all sorts of appropriate costumes, was dancing, celebrating Halloween. Loudly knocking his staff on the floor, he walked around the entire room. The music stopped. Some ladies, in confusion, rushed to Vladyka John for a blessing, but he pushed them away with his staff and, in the complete confusion of the tense crowd, left without uttering a single word. In the morning thunder struck: a strong word was spoken to them from the pulpit...
After accepting monasticism, Father John led an ascetic life: he observed strict fasts, even in winter he walked in sandals on his bare feet, for which in China he was called Saint John the Barefoot.
He also took upon himself the rare feat of constant wakefulness and vigilant prayer - he never went to bed at night and only dozed briefly in a chair.
Hegumen German witnessed this feat when one day he turned to Bishop John for spiritual advice and began to open his soul to him. Father John of Shanghai sat in a chair with his eyes closed and even snored lightly - it seemed that he was fast asleep. But as soon as the interlocutor fell silent, the bishop immediately opened his eyes and demanded that Monk Herman continue speaking.
HERMAN (PODMOSHENSKY):
“I expressed all the main issues that I needed to resolve. When I stopped, Vladyka asked if I had finished. After answering in the affirmative, he answered, one by one, point by point, all the questions I asked while he was sleeping. I was amazed and realized that he was not sleeping - only his body looked asleep from exhaustion.”
For seminarian Gleb Podmoshensky, the meeting with Bishop John of Shanghai and San Francisco determined his entire future life. After graduating from the seminary, he became a monk with the name Herman and, together with his friend, Hieromonk Seraphim Rose, founded an Orthodox brotherhood in California in honor of St. Herman of Alaska.
The book by Abbot German (Podmoshensky) “The Price of Holiness” contains unique memoirs about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, who was canonized as a saint in 2008 by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On July 2, 1994, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad canonized the wondrous saint of God of the 20th century, St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco, the wonderworker.
Archbishop John was born on June 4/17, 1896 in the south of Russia in the village of Adamovka, Kharkov province. At holy baptism he was named Michael in honor of the Archangel of the Heavenly Forces, Michael the Archangel.
Since childhood, he was distinguished by deep religiosity, stood for long periods of time in prayer at night, and diligently collected icons, as well as church books. Most of all he loved to read the lives of saints. Michael fell in love with the saints with all his heart, became completely saturated with their spirit and began to live like them. The child's holy and righteous life made a deep impression on his French Catholic governess, and as a result she converted to Orthodoxy.
During the time of persecution, by the Providence of God, Mikhail ended up in Belgrade, where he entered the university at the Faculty of Theology. In 1926, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) tonsured him a monk, taking the name John in honor of his ancestor St. John (Maksimovich) of Tobolsk. Already at that time, Bishop Nikolai (Velimirović), the Serbian Chrysostom, gave the following characterization to the young hieromonk: “If you want to see a living saint, go to Bitol to Father John.” Father John constantly prayed, fasted strictly, served the Divine Liturgy and received communion every day, and from the day of his monastic tonsure he never went to bed, sometimes he was found in the morning dozing off on the floor in front of the icons. With truly fatherly love, he inspired his flock with the high ideals of Christianity and Holy Rus'. His meekness and humility were reminiscent of those immortalized in the lives of the greatest ascetics and hermits. Father John was a rare man of prayer. He was so immersed in the texts of prayers as if he were simply talking with the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, the angels and saints who stood before his spiritual eyes. The gospel events were known to him as if they were happening before his eyes.
In 1934, Hieromonk John was elevated to the rank of bishop, after which he left for Shanghai. According to Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), Bishop John was “the mirror of ascetic firmness and severity in our time of general spiritual relaxation.”
The young bishop loved to visit the sick and did this daily, accepting confession and communicating the Holy Mysteries to them. If the patient’s condition became critical, Vladyka came to him at any hour of the day or night and prayed for a long time at his bedside. There are numerous cases of healing of hopelessly sick people through the prayers of St. John.
With the communists coming to power, Russians in China were again forced to flee, most through the Philippines. In 1949, approximately 5 thousand Russians from China lived on the island of Tubabao in the camp of the International Refugee Organization. The island was in the path of seasonal typhoons that sweep across this sector of the Pacific Ocean. However, during the entire 27 months of the camp's existence, it was only once threatened by a typhoon, but even then it changed course and bypassed the island. When a Russian mentioned his fear of typhoons to the Filipinos, they said that there was no reason to worry, since “your holy man blesses your camp every night from all four sides.” When the camp was evacuated, a terrible typhoon hit the island and completely destroyed all the buildings.
The Russian people, living in dispersion, had in the person of the Lord a strong intercessor before the Lord. While caring for his flock, Saint John did the impossible. He himself traveled to Washington to negotiate the resettlement of dispossessed Russian people to America. Through his prayers a miracle happened! American laws were amended and most of the camp, about 3 thousand people, moved to the USA, the rest to Australia.
In 1951, Archbishop John was appointed ruling bishop of the Western European Exarchate of the Russian Church Abroad. In Europe, and then in San Francisco from 1962, his missionary work, firmly based on a life of constant prayer and the purity of Orthodox teaching, bore abundant fruit.
The glory of the Bishop spread both among the Orthodox and among the non-Orthodox population. So, in one of the Catholic churches in Paris, a local priest tried to inspire young people with the following words: “You demand proof, you say that now there are no miracles or saints. Why should I give you theoretical proofs when today Saint John Discalced walks the streets of Paris?
The Bishop was known and highly revered throughout the world. In Paris, the railway station dispatcher delayed the departure of the train until the arrival of the “Russian Archbishop”. All European hospitals knew about this Bishop, who could pray for a dying person all night. He was called to the bedside of a seriously ill person - be he Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox or anyone else - because when he prayed God was merciful.
The sick servant of God Alexandra was lying in a Paris hospital, and the Bishop was told about her. He passed a note that he would come and give her Holy Communion. Lying in the common ward, where there were about 40-50 people, she felt embarrassed in front of the French ladies that she would be visited by an Orthodox bishop, dressed in incredibly shabby clothes and, moreover, barefoot. When he gave her the Holy Gifts, the French woman on the nearest bed said to her: “How lucky you are to have such a confessor. My sister lives in Versailles, and when her children get sick, she drives them out into the street where Bishop John usually walks and asks him to bless them. After receiving the blessing, the children immediately recover. We call him a saint."
The children, despite the Lord’s usual severity, were absolutely devoted to him. There are many touching stories about how the blessed one incomprehensibly knew where a sick child might be and at any time of the day or night came to console him and heal him. Receiving revelations from God, he saved many from impending disaster, and sometimes appeared to those who were especially needed, although such a movement seemed physically impossible.
The Blessed Bishop, a saint of the Russian Abroad, and at the same time a Russian saint, commemorated the Moscow Patriarch at the services along with the First Hierarch of the Synod of the Russian Church Abroad.
Turning to history and seeing the future, St. John said that in times of troubles Russia fell so much that all her enemies were sure that she was mortally struck. In Russia there was no tsar, power and troops. In Moscow, foreigners had power. People became “faint-hearted,” weakened, and expected salvation only from foreigners, whom they fawned over. Death was inevitable. In history it is impossible to find such a depth of the fall of the state and such a quick, miraculous uprising, when people rebelled spiritually and morally. This is the history of Russia, this is its path. The subsequent grave suffering of the Russian people is a consequence of Russia's betrayal of itself, its path, its calling. Russia will rise just as it rebelled before. Will rise when faith flares up. When people rise spiritually, when they again have a clear, firm faith in the truth of the Savior’s words: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Truth, and all these things will be added to you.” Russia will rise when it loves the Faith and confession of Orthodoxy, when it sees and loves the Orthodox righteous and confessors.
Vladyka John foresaw his death. On June 19 (July 2), 1966, on the day of remembrance of the Apostle Jude, during an archpastoral visit to the city of Seattle with the Miracle-Working Icon of the Kursk-Root Mother of God, at the age of 71, before this Hodegetria of the Russian Abroad, the great righteous man reposed in the Lord. Sorrow has filled the hearts of many people around the world. After the death of Vladyka, a Dutch Orthodox priest wrote with a contrite heart: “I no longer have and will no longer have a spiritual father who would call me at midnight from another continent and say: “Go to sleep now. You will receive what you pray for.”
The four-day vigil was capped by a funeral service. The bishops conducting the service could not hold back their sobs; tears streamed down their cheeks and glistened in the light of countless candles near the coffin. It is surprising that at the same time, the temple was filled with quiet joy. Eyewitnesses noted that it seemed that we were present not at a funeral, but at the opening of the relics of a newly discovered Saint.
Soon, miracles of healing and help in everyday affairs began to occur in the tomb of the Lord.
Time has shown that Saint John the Wonderworker is a quick helper to all those in troubles, illnesses and sorrowful circumstances.
