Saint John Chrysostom
We present in this issue a great preacher, a patriarch who dedicated his entire life to preaching. He became famous for his sermons in Antioch when he was a deacon and later a priest there. He was also renowned for his preaching in Constantinople when he became its patriarch. Moreover, he was one of the greatest interpreters of the Holy Scriptures. That is:
Saint John Chrysostom¹
Patriarch of Constantinople
(departed in the year 407 A.D.)
His Early Life:
He was born in Antioch in 344 A.D. (or 347 A.D. according to other references). His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother a widow at the age of twenty. Out of love and devotion to him, she never remarried and devoted her life to raising him.
He studied under Libanius, the philosopher of his age, and was his most brilliant pupil. When Libanius was asked who should succeed him, he replied, “John—if the Christians had not stolen him.” After practicing law for two years and defending the oppressed with remarkable skill, John left the profession to pursue a spiritual life.
He then studied at the school of Diodore, who later became Bishop of Tarsus. He was also greatly influenced by Origen and studied his writings.
His Monastic Life:
John longed for the monastic life and decided, along with his close friend Basil, to leave the world. However, his mother begged him to postpone this decision so as not to renew her sorrows, for she had labored her whole life for his sake. He yielded to her pleas and withdrew into his home, dedicating himself to fervent prayer.
At the age of twenty-five, he found himself in great danger, for the bishops had decided to ordain him and his friend Basil as bishops. He therefore fled to a place unknown to anyone. His friend Basil, however, was found and ordained after much hesitation. To comfort him, John sent him his famous treatise On the Priesthood, in which he explained the importance and responsibility of the priestly ministry.
After the death of Anthousa, his mother, John went to a monastery in the mountains near Antioch, where he spent four years in continual prayer and asceticism under the guidance of an elder monk. When his fame spread and many people came seeking his counsel, he fled from fame and lived in a cave in the mountains. There he spent two years in intense asceticism, studying and meditating on the Holy Bible until it was said that he memorized it completely.
Due to his extreme austerity and the dampness of the cave, he fell seriously ill and nearly died. He was therefore forced to return to Antioch in 380 A.D. (the year of the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople).
John the Preacher of Antioch:
Upon his return to Antioch, the bishop welcomed him warmly and ordained him a deacon. Thus began his ministry of preaching, and he soon became the city’s spiritual guide and teacher.
In 386 A.D., he was ordained a priest and was entrusted with the duty of preaching. He dedicated himself earnestly to it, and great crowds flocked to hear his eloquent sermons, which captivated minds and hearts with their clarity and powerful reasoning. For this, he was called “Chrysostom” (Golden Mouth). His preaching was practical, addressing the problems of his time and denouncing its evils, such as theaters, horse races, and vanity in dress. He also defended the true faith, and his fame spread everywhere. Multitudes gathered to hear him, many shedding tears during his sermons. Because of his mastery in preaching and teaching, he was sometimes called “the second Paul.”
John the Patriarch:
When the see of Constantinople became vacant, he was chosen as patriarch. The people of Antioch held tightly to him, and he refused the position, knowing the great responsibilities it entailed. The imperial official, however, managed to bring him from Antioch by a stratagem, and he was consecrated Patriarch of Constantinople in 398 A.D.
He lived an ascetic life, wearing simple garments, distributing his wealth to the poor and needy, visiting them in their homes, and caring for the sick and imprisoned. He established hospitals, hostels, and shelters, which he personally supervised.
He continued preaching even as patriarch. People left their homes and work to come in crowds to hear him. Through his efforts, many pagans, especially the Goths, embraced the faith.
Many of his sermons were biblical commentaries. He left us numerous interpretations—on the Gospels of Matthew and John, the Acts of the Apostles, and the fourteen Epistles of Saint Paul. Commentaries on Genesis and the Hexaemeron (the Six Days of Creation) are also attributed to him. He also paid special attention to instructing women, choosing for that task virtuous and experienced ones.
The love between him and his people was deep and indescribable.
A Man of Suffering:
He is remembered for saying, “Speaking the truth has left me without a friend.” Among his chief enemies was the wicked Empress Eudoxia, whom he often rebuked without fear. Many wealthy and vain women, as well as negligent clergy, also opposed him because of his stern admonitions. Yet, despite all this, the love between him and his people remained strong.
Through the intrigues of Eudoxia, he was exiled from his see and died in exile in 407 A.D.
The Church commemorates him on 17 Hathor and 12 Bashans.
May his prayers be with us all. Amen.
¹ Article by His Grace Bishop Shenouda, Bishop of Education – El-Keraza Magazine, Year Two, Issue Six, August 1966
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