My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE
On the 19th of October Our Holy Orthodox Church
Commemorates SAINT JOHN OF KRONSTADT
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of Saint John of Kronstadt. Fourth Tone
O WONDERWORKER living in Christ for ever, with love have
mercy on them that are in danger; hear thy children who call
upon thee with faith; be thou compassionate unto them that
hope for aid from thee, O Father John of Kronstadt, our
beloved shepherd.
Kontakion Hymn of Saint John of Kronstadt. Fourth Tone
O THOU who from infancy wast chosen by God, and n childhood
didst miraculously receive from Him the gift of learning, and wast
gloriously called to the priesthood in a vision during sleep: Thou
Father John, namesake of grace. Pray to Christ our God that we
all be with thee in the Kingdom of the Heavens.
SAINT JOHN OF KRONSTADT was a married priest, who loved with his wife in virginity. Through his untiring labours in his priestly duties and love fo the poor and sinners, he was granted by our Lord great gifts of clairvoyance and miracle-working, to such a degree that in the last years of his life miracles of healings–both of body and soul–were performed countless times each day through his prayers, often for people who had only written to him asking his help. During his lifetime he was known throughout Russia, as well as in the Western world. He has let us his diary My Life in Christ as a spiritual treasure for Christians of every age; simple in language, it expound the deepest mysteries of our Faith with that wisdom which is given only to a heart purified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, Foreseeing as a true prophet the Communist Revolution of 1917, he unsparingly rebuked the growing APOSTASY among the people; he foretold that the very name of Russia would be changed ( Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or Soviet Union). As the DARKNESS OF UNBELIEF (ATHEISM) grew thicker, he shone forth as a beacon of unquenchable piety, comforting the faithful through the many miracles that he worked and the fatherly love and simplicity with which he received all. Saint John reposed in peace in 1908.
[Resources: The Great Horologion]
MORE ON THE LIFE OF SAINT JOHN OF KRONSTADT
Another object of Saint John’s concern and labor was the removal of the widespread poverty that afflicted Kronstadt. At first, he gave these beggars money for food and shelter, but he soon came to see that this was not merely useless, but positively harmful. In 1868 he conceived the idea of founding a House of Industry, comprising a number of workshops, a dormitory, a refectory, a dispensary, and a primary school. He formed a committee and appealed for funds. His appeal wa answered by rich and poor from all over Russia, and the House of 1873. Father John administered a total of over 25,000 a year in numerous charities, half of it in Kronstadt.
TESTIMONIES OF WONDER WORKING
"My sister and I were often in the Working House, playing with the children of those who worked there. But Mother did not permit us to enter the rooms of the visitors. Two ladies arrived from Siberia, or from the Urals, both very wealthy. They owned some sort of factories over there, but I cannot remember now. The ladies took a liking to my sister and me at our encounter with the in the garden and hallway, and they dragged us into their room. Soon the ringing of bells announced Father John’s arrival. At the request of the newly arrived ladies, Father said a Moleben; one of the ladies gave Father a parcel of money. He declined to accept it: "Take it back," he says, ‘you will find it useful yourselves.’ The lady began to assure hiim that to her the amount was so insignificant, there was no need even to discuss it. Father John did not take the money anyway. That very evening a telegram was received, announcing that all the factories and house had burnt down, and this parcel of money was usefull= to the bankrupt wealthy ladies for their return journey…"
"The sister of the Russian consul in the town of Kiahta (on the Chinese border) was suffering there for a long time and very gravely from a serious ailment, from which, apparently, there was no hope of ever recovering. The malady was so severe that the sufferer was even thinking of poisoning herself, and so, under the influence of this terrible thought, she sees a dream. She sees herself on the edge of a dark and horrible abyss, would hae liked to step away from it, but some fateful force pushes her forward and drags her into the chasm, from which there is no escape and where death inevitably awaited her. Horror envelops the sufferer, a cold sweat stands out on her face, her heart palpitates from mortal fear, the ground shakes under her, she feels her feet slipping to the very edge of the bottomless pit, over which is spread entire hell is bubbling and boiling. Finally, she loses the ground from under her feet and her body hangs in space, ready to plunge into death’s embrace, which has widely opened its extended jaws. There appears to be no salvation; the last thought which flashed through her consciousness was of the Savior, crucified on the Cross. At tje same time, as if in the clouds, a priest appeared in front of her, with the stamp of meekness and mercy on his brow… ‘in the name of the Savior life is being granted to you,’ he said, and grabbing her with ka mighty and firm hand, again put her on firm ground. He then showed her to a hitherto unnoticeable path, by which she could get away from the chasm, and guided her with these parting words: ‘Go and give thanks to God for the salvation you have been granted!’ Upon awakening, the sufferer told her brother and al lher near ones about her marvelous dream, during which she described in detail the priest she had seen in her dream, whose appearance had become strongly impressed upon her imagination; as to who the priest she had seen might be, to this question no one was able to provide an answer.
"Sometime elapsed after this dream; all who heard about it had forgotten it, but then even the sufferer herself thought less and less of it, although she did keep hidden in her heat the conviction that her prophetic dream had to have some special significance, and suddenly, completely by accident, she came to see a picture of Father John of Kronstadt, about whose outward appearance she had no idea to that time, for the whole of Russia was filled with news about him. Just imagine her amazement and that of her relatives when she recognized in the picture of Father John the very same priest who had save her from peril in her dream. She immediately wire Father John in Kronstadt, asking his prayers and intercessions before throne of the King of kings. Father John did not delay in carrying out her request, served a Moleben for her health, of which he advised her in due course. From that time, the incurable sickness, which threatened the sufferer with inevitable death, took a turn for the better, and in a short time the patient completely recovered. She was so grateful that, upon recovering, she was not afraid to undertake a distant, long and difficult journey and, together with her brother, came from Kiahta to Kronstadt so as to personally thank the kind priest, who had besought a cure for her with his prayers."
This was one example of thel many times Saint John appeared to gravely ill people and prayed for them. It wasn’t until after they recovered that they discovered that the priest who visited them in an apparition was actually Saint John of Kronstadt.
QUOTES REVEAL HIS WISDOM
"Remember that God, during your prayers, is watching for your affirmative answer to the question which He is inwardly asking you: ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ To which question you must from the depth of your heart reply, ‘YES, LORD!’
"When you are subjected to the malicious and furious violence of the passions, and to the harassments of the Devil, during the fulfillment of various works for God, accept these sufferings as sufferings for the name of Christ, and rejoice in your sufferings, thanking God; for the Devil is preparing you, without knowing it himself, the most shining crowns from the Lord." [Resources: Joy of All Who Sorrow Orthodox Church]
_______
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in Christ’s Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
"Do not lose your temper with those who sin. Do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbor and judging it, as we usually do. Everyone will give an account for himself before God. Especially, do not look with evil intention on the sins of those older than you, with whom you have no business. But correct your own sins, your own heart."
"Lastly. a prayer we all an use:
"Grant me to glorify Thee, loudly, loudly in
this godless world."
