John Chrysostom

Born in Antioch about 347 years old , in the family of an official ^[2] . His father, Secundus, died shortly after the birth of his son. All concerns about the upbringing of John fell on his mother - Anfusu. Having lost her husband at a very young age (she was then about twenty years old), she did not begin to marry anymore and devoted all her strength to John’s upbringing ^[3] . The young man turned early to an in-depth study of scripture . Later, having already been approved in the spirit of faith, he studied with the best philosophers and rhetoricians (the pagan rhetoric Libanius considered him the best student). Prelate Meletius of Antioch baptized him in 367 . Three years later, John was made a reader . After Meletius was sent into exile by Emperor Valens in 372 , John, together with Theodore of Mopsuesti, studied at a local theological school with presbyters Flavian and Diodorus of Tarsus .

When the mother of John passed away, he accepted monasticism . Soon he was considered a worthy candidate for the bishop's chair. However, he declined from the rank of bishop. At this time, John wrote The Six Words about the Priesthood. John spent four years living in the desert, writing “Against Armed For Seeking Monasticism” and “Comparing the Tsar’s Power, Wealth and Benefits with the True and Christian Wisdom of Monastic Life”. For two years I observed complete silence while in a secluded cave. To restore health, John had to return to Antioch.

Beginning of a Church Career

In 381, Bishop Meletius of Antioch ordained John to the rank of deacon . The following years were devoted to the creation of new theological creations: “About Providence,” “The Book of Virginity,” “Towards the Young Widow” (two words), “The Book of St. Babylon and Against Julian and the Gentiles”.

In 386, John was ordained an elder . He was charged with preaching the Word of God . John turned out to be a brilliant preacher, and received from the flock the nickname Χρυσόστομος ("Zlatoust"). Twelve years, he twice a week, and sometimes daily, preached in the temple. During this period, he wrote interpretations on a number of books of Scripture and many conversations on individual biblical texts , as well as teachings on holidays, in praise of saints and apologetic words.

Bishopric

In 397 , after the death of Archbishop Nektarios of Constantinople (he ruled the Church of Constantinople from 381 to 397, was the successor of Gregory of Nazianzus ), John was called from Antioch to be appointed to the Constantinople chair as archbishop. He began with the spiritual development of the priesthood. The funds that were intended for him as an archbishop , the saint paid for the maintenance of several hospitals and two hotels for pilgrims. He also composed the rite of the liturgy , introduced antiphonic singing at the All-Vigil , and wrote several prayers of the rite of blessing .

John became embroiled in a conflict with the imperial court - in particular, with the emperor’s wife: when Empress Eudoxia , wife of Emperor Arkady ( 395 - 408 ), ordered the confiscation of property from the widow and children of the disgraced nobleman, John defended them. The empress did not yield and harbored anger at the archpastor. Her dislike of him intensified when she was informed that he was referring to her in his teachings on vain women. The court , composed of hierarchs previously convicted by Chrysostom, decided to depose John and to put to death for insulting the empress . Emperor Arkady replaced execution by exile . That same night, according to the Life attributed to Bishop Martyr, the empress most likely suffered a miscarriage (or a stillborn was born), and in Constantinople, according to the message of Theodorite of Cyrus , an earthquake occurred. Frightened, Eudoxia asked the emperor to immediately return John and immediately sent a letter to the exiled shepherd, begging him to return. But two months later, a new denunciation aroused the wrath of Eudoxia.

Exile

In March 404, a council was held that decided to expel John.

Faced with the prospect of exile, John turned for help to Pope Innocent I , as well as to Archbishop St. Mediolan . Venus and the Bishop of Aquileia Chrome plating. Innocent I sent a delegation to Constantinople under the leadership of St. Gaudensia of Brescia , who earlier in Antioch met with John and was friendly with him. However, in Greece, papal envoys were first arrested, then wanted to bribe, and eventually deported. Despite their failure, John wrote a letter of thanks to Gaudencia.

Emperor Flavius ​​Arkady appointed the city of Kukus ( lat. Cucusus , now Gyoksun in Turkey) in the province of Armenia. Second place of exile of John Chrysostom ^[4] .

While in Armenia , John tried to strengthen his followers. In his letters (245 of them were preserved) to the bishops of Asia , Africa , Europe and his friends in Constantinople, he consoled the suffering, instructed and supported his adherents. In the winter of 406, John was sickly bedridden. But his enemies did not appease. An order came from the capital to transfer him to the deaf Pifiunt ( Pitsunda , now in Abkhazia ). Exhausted by disease, Chrysostom, accompanied by a convoy, made his last transition in the rain and heat for three months, subjected to bullying and ill-treatment by the guards. In the Comans, the forces left him. Communion of the Holy Mysteries , he, with the words " Glory to God for everything! "Died on September 14, 407.

John was buried in the Commanders of Pontius, in the martyrdom of the martyr Basilisk , next to the grave of the martyr Basilisk, in what is now Turkey . In 438, at the initiative of St. Proclus , Patriarch of Constantinople , the relics of the saint were transferred to the capital ^[4] . According to legend, during this event, the people exclaimed in a single voice: “ Take your throne, Father! ", And the mouth of the saint, lying in the tomb incorrupt, was opened, and he exclaimed," Peace to all! " ^[5] . During the Fourth Crusade ( 1204 ) the relics of the saint were taken from Constantinople to Rome, and on November 26, 2004, by decision of Pope John Paul II , the church of Constantinople was returned with the relics of Gregory the Theologian ^[6] and stored in the Cathedral of St. George in Fanar ( Istanbul ).

At least two relics claim to be considered the head of John Chrysostom, one is kept in the Vatoped monastery on Mount Athos ^[7] , the other in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow ^[8] .

The legacy of St. John Chrysostom is very great: interpretations of the books of the Holy Scriptures (Genesis, Psalms, Gospels of Matthew and John, the Epistle of the Apostle Paul), many conversations on individual texts of the Bible, teachings on holidays and in praise of saints, apologetic words (against anomaeans, judges and pagans), as well as the rite of the liturgy, etc.

John Chrysostom is the author of the liturgy of the eastern (Byzantine) rite. Divine services are divided into the “liturgy of the catechumens” (which may be attended by non-baptized ones) and the “liturgy of the faithful” (which is not permitted from the canonical point of view, which is not baptized). The service begins with the words of the priest, “Blessed be the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever.” During the “liturgy of the catechumens”, the Apostle and the Gospels are read, as well as antiphons (Psalms 102, 145 ), troparia , the Trisagion (“Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal”), prokimeniya and litany (“we pray to the Lord for peace”). During the "Liturgy of the Faithful," the sacrament is performed, which is preceded by a cherubic song , the Creed, and our Father ^[9] .

John Chrysostom is the author of the seventh prayer (containing 24 small prayers according to the number of hours per day) of the evening rule , binding on the Orthodox Christians ^[10] .

Churches of the Byzantine tradition venerate St. John Chrysostom among the three “ ecumenical teachers ” (along with Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian ), a celebration in their honor takes place on January 30 ( February 12 ). Also noted:

• January 27 - transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom (from Coman to Constantinople);
• September 14 - the repose of St. John;
• November 13 is the day of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (the anniversary of his accession to the archbishop's chair).

In the Latin Church commemorates St. John Chrysostom - bishop, confessor and Teacher of the Church - is performed, according to the extraordinary form of the Roman rite, January 27 (III class), according to the ordinary - September 13 ( memoria ). In 1568, Pope Pius V ranked John and three other Greek theologians - Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and Athanasius the Great - among the Teachers of the Church .

Originals

• Patrologia Graeca 47-64 .

Translations

• Conversations selected by sv. Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop. Of Constantinople. / Per. igum. Irenaeus (Klementyevsky). - Part 1–2 . - M. , 1784.
• Creations in Russian translation: In 12 t. - St. Petersburg. : St. Pete. spirit. Acad., 1895-1906 . (Each volume in 2 books.)

• SPb. : Soikin, 1914-1917 . - T. 1-8 .

• reprint: M. , 1991.

• Turilov A. A., Fomina M. S. The Word of John Chrysostom “On the Holy Trinity and the Creature and the Judgment of God” // Ancient Russia. Questions of Medieval Studies . - 2000. - No. 2. - S. 110-118 . (Edition of the oldest complete Old Russian text.)
• Monuments of Byzantine literature of the IV — IX centuries. / Ans. ed. L.A. Freiberg. - M .: Nauka, 1968 .-- S. 87-103 .
• Bulletin of Ancient History (VDI). - 2004. - No. 2-3 .
• John Chrysostom . Four announcing homilies (Papadopulo-Keramevs series). / Per. I.V. Prolyginoy. // VDI. - 2005. - No. 1. - S. 261—281 ; No. 2. - S. 208-219 .
• Symphony on the creations of St. John Chrysostom. - M .: Dar, 2006.
• St. John Chrysostom. Selected Conversations on the Daily Issues of Christian Life. M . : Father's house, 1999
• Creations of the holy father of our John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, in Russian translation. SPb. SPb Edition Theological Academy, 1898
• Words about the priesthood . - 1775.
• Collected works of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople . (The texts of the works of the saint are recruited and corrected under the direction of the publishing house of St. Maximus the Confessor with the help of a group of voluntary assistants.)

• Liturgy of John Chrysostom

• Malyshevsky I.I. St. John Chrysostom with the rank of reader, with the rank of deacon and presbyter. - Kiev, 1892. - 265 pp.
• Grigorevsky M.S. John Chrysostom about marriage. - Arkhangelsk, 1901. - 234 p.
• Nikolsky S. Ya. History of the churches of Antioch and Constantinople during the time of St. John Chrysostom according to his creations. - Stavropol-Caucasus, 1905. - Dep. 1. - 164 pp.; Sep. 2. - 184 p.
• Stenpkovsky N.V. Authenticity of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom based on his writings. Pochaev, 1888 .-- 158 p.
• Gryzhankova M. Yu. John Chrysostom in the society of early Byzantium and Russia. - Saransk: Publishing House Mord. University, 2002. - 83 pp.
• Brendle R. John Chrysostom. Preacher, Bishop, Martyr. / Per. with him. - M. , 2008 .-- 208 p.
• Kazenina-Prystanskova E.T. Golden mouths. The life and works of John Chrysostom. - Exactly: Living Word, 2003 .-- 224 p.
• The Ancient Lives of St. John Chrysostom: Texts and Commentary. / Per., Entry. Art., comm. A. S. Balakhovskaya, total. ed. A.I. Sidorova. - M .: PSTGU , 2007. - 523 pp. - ISBN 978-5-7429-0267-6 .
• The ancient Georgian translation of "The Life of John Chrysostom" and its features. - Tb. : Metsniereba, 1987. - 191 p. (In the Georgian language with a Russian summary.)
• John Chrysostom in the Old Russian and South Slavic writing of the XI-XVI centuries : Catalog of homilies. - SPb. : Dmitry Bulanin, 1998 .-- 209 pp. - ISBN 5-86007-093-4 .
• Skvortsov K.V. John Chrysostom. The Way of the Holy Cross // Sim conquer. - M. , 2010 .-- ISBN 978-5-8402-0206-7 . (Drama, the history of Christianity in Byzantium.)

• John Chrysostom // Orthodox Encyclopedia . - M .: Church Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2010. - T. XXIV. - S. 159-250. - 752 s. - 39,000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-89572-044-8 .
• St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (Neopr.) . Archived on November 28, 2012.
• Creations of John Chrysostom in twelve volumes (neopr.) . Archived on November 28, 2012.
• Prof. N. I. Sagarda . Doctrine of sv. John Chrysostom about the Church (Neopr.) . Archived on November 28, 2012. (Church Herald. - St. Petersburg , 1907. - No. 46–47 .)
• Thelen, Daniel. Saints In Rome and Beyond . - 2015 .-- 375 p. - ISBN 9780986154706 .
• Audiobooks of John Chrysostom .
• Creations of John Chrysostom on the website of the Tver diocese .