17 Must Know St. John Chrysostom Facts About His Monastic Life

Saint John Chrysostom is still regarded as one of the most venerated Orthodox saints.

He bequeathed a vast library of homilies and exegesis of the Bible, as well as various hymns before Holy Communion. This also included prayers for the Sacrament of Unction.

St. John Chrysostom's Divine Liturgy became the most commonly employed in the Byzantine rite. This ended up making St. John Chrysostom, who established it, among the most often acknowledged saints in orthodox churches—yet another example underlining the remarkableness of this exceptional man of God.

The uncertainty and intrigue around John, the renowned Antiochene preacher, are typical of any great man's life in a capital city.

After 12 years of priestly devotion in Syria, John was brought to Constantinople and found himself the unwilling target of an imperial ruse to appoint him bishop in the empire's biggest city.

So instead, John became a bishop in the shadow of imperial politics, ascetic, unimposing yet noble, and tormented by stomach illnesses from his desert experiences as a monk.

On November 26, the Holy Church of Christ commemorates Saint John Chrysostom, the great teacher, counselor, and speaker.

St. John Chrysostom's Life And History

There is so much to look at with John Chrysostom's early life. John Chrysostom was born in the city of Antioch in present-day Turkey in the year 349. His parents were born in Syria and had Greek ancestors.

His father, a military officer, died not long after being born. His mother's name was Anthusa, and she nurtured him. Libanius, a Greek pagan, was John's first instructor.

He educated him on Greek literature and rhetoric. He then enrolled at the School of Antioch to study theology. Later on, Chrysostom studied theology with Bishop Diodore from Tarsus.

• By the year 375, he had separated himself from society and had become a hermit. Saint Meletius of Antioch ordained John Chrysostom as a deacon in 381. After Meletius' death, Flavian, the heir of his opponent Paulinus, made him a priest.
• He became well-known among the general audience at the Golden Church for his eloquence and clear preaching. Chrysostom delivered many bible-based homilies throughout his reign.
• Archbishop of Constantinople John Chrysostom was a Greek Ancient Church Father. He was termed 'golden-mouthed' for his brilliant method of preaching to regular people. He was also a gifted writer in the early church, having written several homilies.He is revered by Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and Catholic churches.
• Chrysostom was raised as an ascetic, becoming an eremite in 375, surviving on little sleep and studying the Bible. Anti-Johannite groups in Constantinople fought him during his time as archbishop. Eventually, the saint was banished.
• In the Eastern Orthodox Church, he is one of the 'Three Holy Hierarchs', with Gregory of Nazianzus as well as Basil the Great. His death date, September 14, 407, is commemorated as a feast day in many nations.

What is St. John Chrysostom known for?

He is recognized for his public speaking and preaching, as well as his condemnation of religious and political authorities abusing their positions of power, the Divine Mass of Saint John Chrysostom, with his ascetic sensitivities.

Because of his simplicity, he became even more famous and widespread. However, his time as archbishop garnered him many enemies, including Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who charged him with favoring Origen of Alexandria's views.

In addition, Empress Aelia Eudoxia viewed the saint as an enemy, believing that the former's criticism of people who indulged in rich feminine clothes was directed at her.

• He began to provide moral and financial support for Christian monks in Phoenicia who were demolishing temples to execute anti-Pagan legislation in 405.
• John Chrysostom pleaded with Pope Innocent I, Bishop Chromatius of Aquileia, and Bishop Venerius of Milan to assist him in getting out of exile.

Patronage Of St. John Chrysostom

Shortly after his death, John Chrysostom was declared a saint. In the Church of Hagia Sophia, his heir, Saint Proclus, conducted a homily to praise and honor him.

On November 13, several churches all around the world commemorate Chrysostom. On January 27, his relics were transported from Comana to Constantinople. In Eastern Christianity, the saint also occupies a unique status as a theologian.

• He was a natural when it came to telling Bible stories. He spoke about the needy and condemned the excesses of the wealthy. He also penned several Homilies on various biblical topics. Chrysostom, which means 'golden-mouthed', was given to him because of his rhetorical abilities.
• Chrysostom failed to admit the validity of a synod whose judges were his open opponents. Chrysostom was proclaimed deposed after the third summons, with the emperor's approval. He offered himself to the soldiers that awaited him on the third day to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Beliefs Of St John Chrysostom

Chrysostom's central premise is that there could be no such thing as 'personal property' in the strict sense since everything comes from God and exclusively to Him. He gives everything as a loan in the shape of a gift.

Everything belongs to God, and the only thing a man can genuinely claim like his own are his excellent actions. John Chrysostom was a gifted orator, preacher, and theologian. His sermons, homilies, and treatises all have a social message.

The 'Paschal Homily' is one of his most well-known homilies. Every year, it is recited at the Paschal Divine Liturgy service.

• John was eventually deported to Pitiunt, which is now part of modern-day Georgia. He was never able to get to this town. A few of John's followers began calling for his canonization soon after death. Many of his opponents in Constantinople, however, were opposed to this. Nevertheless, the suggestion was accepted by the Patriarch of Constantinople three decades later.
• Originally, St. John Chrysostom was interred in Comana Pontica, where he perished. John's relics were transferred to Constantinople in 438. His skull was preserved in Greece at the Vatopedi Monastery. Crusaders kidnapped the relics in 1204 and transported them to Rome.
• At Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich's request, the skull was brought from Greece to Russia in 1655. It is currently housed in Moscow's Chapel of Christ the Saviour. A few of the relics were returned to the Church of Saint George in Istanbul by Pope John Paul II in 2004.
• Most of John's remains were plundered from Constantinople from Crusaders around 1204 and transferred to Rome, although Pope John Paul II restored some of his bones to the Orthodox Church on November 27, 2004.
• Because the celebration of the Glorification of the Holy Cross falls on the same day as his death (September 14), the Basic Roman Calendar has commemorated him on the last day, September 13, till 1970; from the 1300s to 1969, it celebrated him on January 27, the commemoration of his body's translation to Constantinople.
• Saint John Chrysostom is still regarded as one of the most venerated Orthodox saints. This Constantinople's holy hierarch is also known for establishing a new Divine Liturgy rite based on the early anaphora of the 12 Apostles used during Antioch.
• As a philosopher and a theological author, John Chrysostom was not very notable; it has been argued that a comprehensive history of Christian theology might be written without revealing his identity. He was, however, a fantastic orator.
• He rarely employed allegory during his sermons, instead of speaking plainly and combining a deep understanding of Scripture with a gift for human application. Every one of his sermons contained a moral or social message.