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Our Holy Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople John, the universal mentor and winner of souls by the power of his truly divine gift of speech, to which the world responded by calling him “Chrysostom, by the mouth of Christ, by the mouth of God,” was born in Syrian Antioch in 347. - The son of one of the commanders of the troops located in Syria, named Secunda, John, while still in the cradle, after the death of his father, remained an orphan, but had the good fortune to find in his mother, named Anthuse, such a loving, pious and intelligent teacher who managed to protect him from all the disasters and hardships of early orphanhood, managed to compensate for the loss of his father, which was irreplaceable for his son, with her Christian, and therefore all-encompassing, influence. Under this influence of his mother, who, despite her youth, refused to enter into a new marriage and concentrated her entire soul on her children, son and daughter, John received his first lessons in Christian truths and piety, which later reflected in him the immortal glory of an exemplary ascetic, father of the Church, and universal teacher. Even at the tender age of John, his mother managed to arouse in him that strength and form constancy, which became the main properties of his character. Noticing his extraordinary natural talents, she, taking advantage of the presence in Antioch, the capital of the East, of many of the best scientific mentors in all branches of science and owning the rich fortune left to her by her husband, had the opportunity to provide John with the best teachers. Prepared by home education, he continued it in pagan schools, since the previous Christian schools were closed by the apostate Julian, and new ones had not yet been established. But this circumstance did not harm the young man, in whose heart and mind Christian feelings and concepts were already firmly implanted. Moreover, since he was accustomed to complete frankness with his mother, she was able to monitor all his impressions and guide them. In schools, John was so successful, especially in eloquence, that he amazed not only his comrades, but also his teachers. Livanius, an experienced sophist, wished in the presence of a larger assembly to read the brilliant speech of his student, written by him in praise of the emperors, and, having finished reading, with general applause, he exclaimed: “Happy is the writer who knows how to glorify the emperors in this way!” But also happy are those emperors who reign at a time when the world has such a writer!” - This same famous scientist Livanius, several years later, before his death, answered the question: who would he like to have as his successor? - He answered that he would have chosen John if Christians had not kidnapped him... and generally predicted a brilliant future for John in the world. John safely avoided the pitfalls of public education, did not get carried away by the example of his comrades who were distinguished by their luxurious lives, and even when some of his father’s relatives persuaded him to buy a carriage suitable for his condition, he objected: “I do not want to submit to the conditions of the world, which I do not share; I can do without these excesses, I don’t like either splendor or luxury, which neither reason, nor the teaching of God-inspired writers, nor the word of God, which says: “everyone who exalts himself will humble himself, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”, can not be approved... But having chosen like-minded friends among his comrades, John, together with them, living among the pagan world, paid most of all attention to the study of the Gospel truths. The difference in concepts did not, however, alienate the Christian youth from his other comrades, and they all loved him for his condescension and respected him for his bright mind. After completing his public education, eighteen-year-old John chose judicial activity for himself and, being excellently prepared for it both by natural talents and by his versatile education, soon acquired flattering fame among lawyers. Meanwhile, this success in society, dangerous for pride, and the continuous entertainment of social life at first had a harmful effect on the inexperienced young man: he no longer indulged in reading St. Scriptures; following the customs of the society with which he was surrounded, he visited spectacles and other places, the harmful influence of which on morality he later exposed with such force in his teachings. Recalling the circumstances of this time and one of his best friends, John, having described what a “firm and indissoluble union” then existed between them, continues with heartfelt contrition: “but when my friend, truly blessed, decided to devote himself to monastic life and true philosophy, then the balance of our life (filled until then with identical aspirations) was lost. His lot, due to its ease, was exalted, but I, still carried away by worldly desires, humiliated my lot, brought it down, burdened with youthful dreams. Although our friendship remained strong after that as before, the union of community was dissolved, because it was impossible for those who had different desires to live together.” 213 But this fascination with the world did not last long. Habitual piety often aroused in John dissatisfaction with that life, which distracted him from his satisfying concentration on objects of the inner, spiritual world. Moreover, his friend Vasily, who recklessly continued to strive on the path of self-improvement, greatly influenced him by his example and tried to curb his addiction to the world - but he “received John with open arms” when, as John said about himself, “he was freed from the storm of life.” “However,” John continues to remember this, “even then we could not maintain the previous equality. Carrying out his feat with great zeal, moreover, ahead of me even in time, Vasily reached great heights and left me far behind him. But, being lenient and valuing his friendship with me, he, at the same time as he avoided relationships with others, shared his time with me” 214. Thus, realizing the danger to the soul in his passion for the vanity of the world, John decided to cut off all ties with the world and retired to his mother’s house, devoting all his time to prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures. Scripture and meditation on Divine objects. Strictly regarding his recent errors, he, in atonement for them, mortified his flesh with fasting and prayer and night vigil; fell asleep for a short time, and then on the bare ground. At this time, John became close to the high-ranking Bishop of Antioch, Meletius, who, having recognized him, fell in love with him, took upon himself the work of guiding the remarkable young man, foreseeing in him the inclinations of high spiritual development, and, having prepared him along this path, performed the sacrament of baptism on him in 367, when John was 25 years old. After this, three years later, which he spent hopelessly in his mother’s house, continuing his true ascetic life, John was appointed in 370 to the position of reader (by Bishop Zeno, who came from Jerusalem, arriving in Antioch, probably on the occasion of the disasters of Meletius) 215. Continuing to live in solitude, John nevertheless maintained relations with his beloved friends: Maxim, Theodore and Vasily, and even had the idea of ​​living with Vasily and living his life according to the rules of monastic life; but since separation from him was difficult for his mother, for the sake of her peace of mind he abandoned the cherished aspiration of his heart - to take the monastic path. In 372, after Valens expelled the Orthodox bishop Meletius from Antioch, John and his friends became close to Carterius and especially Diodorus, the former abbots of the monasteries near Antioch, who remained to teach Meletius’s orphaned flock. Under the influence of this enlightened and ardent defender of Orthodoxy, the intention to enter into a hermit's life was finally determined in John and his friends, which, however, John could not fulfill until his mother died. But in vain they tried to hide from the world; the glory of their life and brilliant talents shone out from solitude, and it was necessary to proclaim John and Basil to the empty chairs of Orthodox bishops after the Arian persecution. How did those who loved the feat of desert life react to this? “The rumor that suddenly arose excited both of us...” says St. John Chrysostom, - a rumor spread that they intended to elevate us to the degree of bishopric. As soon as I heard this news, fear and bewilderment took possession of me. Fear: I was afraid that they would take me against my will. Bewilderment: I thought every minute and could not figure out where people could have such a high opinion of me... because, turning to myself, I did not find anything that would deserve this dignity" 216 ... Basil was ordained Bishop of Raphane in Syria, but John managed to evade election, and a year after that, when his mother died, calmly parting with his son, who was already strengthened in the love of God and the desire to serve Him, he decided to immediately go to the mountains, to the cells of the desert dwellers, in order to learn from them to live for heaven, despising everything earthly... But when did the holy impulse achieve its satisfaction without encountering many obstacles and temptations along the way? So it was with John. At the time when he achieved the fulfillment of his fiery desire, at the time when the coveted desert life opened up before him, it suddenly lost all its attractiveness in his eyes... The imperturbable silence of the desert, its inviolable solitude filled the heart of a man full of life with horror. And what kind of peace, he doubted, will he find in a monastic environment, where he can be forced to do rough work that is unusual for him: chopping wood, carrying water, and where he will, perhaps, be deprived of necessary food, eating only vegetables?... Aware of the temptation operating in all these fears and the thirst for peace, John struggled with gloomy thoughts and reasoned like this: “just as those who take upon themselves the positions of leaders and management of public affairs, they do not care about peace, but about whether there will be benefit from their service, temporary benefit - and if they can safely hope for this, so they no longer think about labor, nor about dangers, nor about disgrace, nor about those that are humiliating for them.” works, nor about long travels, nor about life on a foreign side, nor about grief, nor about torment, nor about changes in circumstances, nor about untimely death, or about separation from relatives, nor about any other trouble, but, intoxicated by the passion for money, they endure everything through which they only hope to get it... But we, for whom are destined not for money and not for earth, but for heaven and heavenly blessings, the eye cannot see them, and the ear cannot Hearing, and not sighing in a person’s heart, we ask about peace; So we, more than those, are pitiful and weak-hearted! – We want to go to heaven and receive the kingdom there, and we ask if there are any difficulties on this road and on this journey?... One who is overwhelmed by the desire for heavenly things should not, I do not say, seek bodily peace, but also enjoy it when one has it. Isn’t it strange that while those who love with impure love are so completely devoted to their beloved that apart from them and being with them they find no pleasure in all the other pleasures of life, no matter how many there are, and we, embraced by the most sublime love, not only do not neglect peace when we have it, but also seek it when it is not there” 217 . John’s internal struggle, with such consciousness and reasoning, inspired by humility and prayer, could not remain unsuccessful, since nothing is impossible for a person who truly loves God. And therefore the thoughts that troubled him retreated from him, and he found true sweetness in difficult asceticism among those great mountain desert dwellers, under whose leadership he lived for four years and about whom he later wrote that “if it were possible to open the doors of their hearts and see their soul and all the beauty within, then (not completely cleansed of worldly” passions) it would be impossible to bear the radiance of the beauty of their soul, the lightness of their inner clothes and the brilliance of their conscience”... 218. Living under the influence of such lamps, John achieved a high degree of moral perfection, at which he himself could lead others, and revealed the treasures of the knowledge he acquired and the holiness of his soul in instructive writings on occasions that presented themselves. So, at the request of one monk named Demetrius, who lived with him, to help him “soften his hardened heart and nourish it with tears of contrition,” and at the persistent request of one hermit Stelechius, John responded in writing about contrition; - Having based his message, which he approached with the deepest humility, the words of the Savior: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” he explains the saving meaning of the words about their sins: “just as dust, he said, cannot withstand the pressure of a strong wind, so a multitude of unclean desires cannot withstand the force of crushing rushing against them, but disappears and dissipates faster than any dust and smoke. If carnal love so enslaves the soul that it distracts it from everything and ties it only to the beloved person, then what will love for Christ and the fear of being separated from Him not do? The ardent lover of Christ, Paul, was so wounded by this love that he even groaned about the slowness and duration of his wandering here (2 Cop. 5:4)... Having turned his eyes once to heaven and seeing with amazement the beauty there, he no longer wanted to turn his gaze back to earth; Having seen the heavenly blessings, he looked with disdain at the local poverty and, living out of necessity in body and people, did not turn his soul to anything here... The love of Christ animated him so much that if he had been offered to endure eternal punishment for Christ, he would not have refused this either. He served Christ differently than we mercenaries, out of fear of Gehenna and out of desire for the kingdom; no, embraced by some other, incomparably better and more blessed love, he endured and did everything for nothing other than to satisfy this love that he had for Christ. But we do not have this fire, on the contrary, everything that is inside is dust and dust... And having revealed the state of the heart, imbued with contrition for sins, insensitive as a result to anything earthly, dead to the whole world, living for God alone and the works of God, not counting sensual pleasures, wealth and glory into anything, John Chrysostom exclaims: “such is Saint Paul! He, amid the splendor and splendor of great cities, was so dispassionate and insensitive to all transitory blessings that he could be considered a dead man. He himself said that not only did the world die for him, but he himself died for the world. Great wisdom is to renounce all earthly pleasures, to look at the world as a soulless corpse; but there is still much greater wisdom - to die for the world, to have no attachment to anything earthly. For sometimes we can be attracted by a soulless corpse or some soulless thing; but when the world has died for us and we have died for the world, then there can no longer be any connection with it, just as two soulless corpses cannot share either feelings or thoughts with each other. St. The Apostle Paul was so dead to the world that, while living in body on earth, his soul and heart always remained in heaven; his love for Jesus Christ rose not only to the third heaven, but also passed through all the heavens. He was not tall, but he infinitely surpassed all people in his love and jealousy. If I compare Paul’s love for Jesus Christ with a vast fire engulfing the entire globe, whose fiery stream, flowing around the entire space between heaven and earth, ascended to the very sky, then even then I will not say enough about it.” Having also mentioned the ardent love for God of the holy prophets Elijah and David, John Chrysostom says that “and we would have feelings of humility and contrition, similar to those that inspired them, if, reflecting on the disastrous effect of sin, which makes us enemies of God, through the ingratitude of a person who insults his Supreme Benefactor, despite the blessings constantly pouring out from Him on us, we, all our lives, adorned with virtues, the whole heart, full of feelings of tender love, was sacrificed to Him,” and that “even then we would not have done anything to thank God for the ineffable mercies and great blessings sent down to us from the beginning of the days of our existence.” Having won a victory over himself in the struggle against the difficulties of life in the desert, John was struck with deep sorrow when he learned that one of his former friends, named Theodore, who had left the world under the influence of the suggestions of John, with whom he sympathized, could not withstand the temptations that presented themselves on the path of fulfilling the vows of monastic life, and, having left the desert, returned to the city, where he enthusiastically devoted himself to the former worldly skills and passions that had awakened in him and Even having fallen in love with one girl, he decided to marry her. John could not bear with indifference the fall of his friend from the saving monastic path he had consciously chosen, and with a whole series of eloquent written convictions he tried to return him to this path. “Who will give my head water and my eyes a source of tears? - he begins his letter to Theodore, - since I mourn not the destruction of cities, but the devastation of the sacred soul and the destruction and destruction of the Christian church. Whoever knew well the beauty of your soul, now well burned by the spirit of evil, at the time when it shone, will he not rise up, hearing that barbaric hands have desecrated the Holy of Holies?... because the church of your soul shone not with gold and silver, by the grace of the Spirit, and had Christ and His Father and Comforter dwelling within it. But now it’s not the same... he is now empty and naked from that beauty... he has lost the Divine and indescribable decoration, and at the same time he has lost all security and protection, he has neither a door nor a lock, but he is open to all sorts of harmful and vile thoughts. Nothing will hinder them, and before, like heaven, the purity of your soul was inaccessible to them. Perhaps my words will seem incredible to those who see the present desolation and ruin of your soul; That's why I grieve and lament. and I won’t stop doing this until I see you again in your former glory.”... Having revealed to Theodore the disastrous state of his soul, John tries to save him from extreme evil: despondency, which would completely destroy him. “Don’t despair of a change for the better! - he begs him, - if the spirit of evil had so much power to cast you into the abyss from the heights of virtue, then all the more is it possible for God to raise you to your former freedom and make you not only the same as you were, but also much more blessed than before. Just don’t lose heart, don’t lose good hope! Don't tell me that there can be no forgiveness for you anymore; Let us imagine the greatest sinner that can be found; Let us suppose that he sinned from childhood to old age, even to the hour of death: but if he retained the faith, if he was imbued with the consciousness of his guilt and contrition for his sins, then I am convinced that salvation is not hopeless.” “Who was more guilty than Nebuchadnezzar and Manasseh? and yet God forgave them as soon as they humbled themselves before Him. There is not a single sin that is unpardonable for His goodness. He always accepts a contrite and humble heart. Every sinner can be reconciled with God in one minute, if only he sincerely repents: repentance is measured not by time, but by the strength of the feeling of contrition.” And having turned his friend’s heart away from despondency, John encourages him: “start the fight, and your labor will not remain without reward... Until we experience it, the easiest things sometimes seem difficult; but as soon as we use the slightest effort, the apparent difficulty is destroyed, confidence takes the place of despair, and we easily accomplish what we were afraid to undertake.” To make it easier for Theodore to detach himself from the vanity of the world, with which he was carried away, John clearly depicts the vicissitudes of everything earthly in its present form: “Have you not seen how those who lived in luxury, drunkenness, gambling and other pleasures of life died? Where are now those who dressed in silk clothes and gave off the fragrance of ointments? Where is their splendor now? Where has everything gone now? What did that body become, which they pleased so much? Come to the grave, look at the dust, the ashes, the worms, look at the ugliness of this place and - groan bitterly! And oh, if only this punishment were limited to this dust! But from the grave and from these worms, transport your thoughts to that undying worm, to the unquenchable fire, to the gnashing of teeth, to sorrow and cramped conditions... Think about this and, contrasting that fire with the fire of lust that has now engulfed you, finally free yourself from this oven... Let us assume that you live for many years and do not experience a change in happiness: what is this in comparison with endless centuries and with unbearable torment?... And what does the enjoyment of local blessings mean in comparison with the state of future bliss, if not the dream of one day in a lifetime? So, is there a person who, because he had a pleasant dream, would decide to endure punishment in his entire life? John did not suddenly manage to influence his erring friend, but he did not lose hope and tried with all his zeal to promote his conversion. “If it were possible to put sighs and tears on paper, then I would fill a letter with them and send it to you...” he continues to pour out his tender sorrow in front of him, “the evil, dear Theodore, is not to fall fighting, but to fall and remain so... So now you too, because the enemy has somewhat pushed you from your place, do not push yourself into the abyss, but stand cheerfully, and soon return back to where you left, and don’t consider this short-term defeat a disgrace... Don’t let it bother you that you stumbled so quickly and at the very beginning. For the evil one soon saw the valor of your soul, and from many things he guessed that you would grow into a courageous opponent to him; That’s why he hurried, woke up, rose up with strength towards you... But since he struck you at the very time when you were just getting ready to fight him, he only succeeded in making you stronger in the fight against him; having attempted to inflict a deep wound on you, he did not achieve this, but only forced you forward to be more vigilant and careful.” “The power that a Christian has not over people, but over princes who are subject to the ruler of darkness, no one can steal from him,” John again approvingly reminds Theodora, “he who lives for Christ is also truly free: he stands above all disasters. If he does not want to do harm to himself, then another will never be able to do it to him. No, a Christian is invincible. His only misfortune is to offend God, but everything else, even that which everyone is horrified by: the transition from here to there, is more pleasant for him than life... A shadow, even an insignificant shadow - everyday affairs are associated with many fears, with many dangers, with extreme slavery... Do not ruin both this and this century, when you can, if you want, take advantage of both.” “I know,” says John in conclusion, “that I overstepped the bounds of writing, but forgive me, because I did it out of love and sorrow. Because of her, I myself forcibly forced myself to write a letter, while many held me back: stop working in vain and sowing on stones, they told me, but I didn’t listen to anyone. There is hope, I felt that the letter, if God wills, will have an effect... if my hope is not fulfilled, then at least we will receive the benefit that we will not have to blame ourselves for silence, because we did everything that depended on us "... And indeed, the One who holds the heart of man in His hand, heeded the prayer and tears of those who ran to Him with hope, touched with His grace the soul that had fallen from Him due to its human weakness, and Theodore, finally imbued with sincere repentance, renounced the world and all its joys and returned to the fulfillment of his monastic vows. Not content with the feats of monastic life, John, striving for complete solitude, lived alone in a cave for two years, killing his flesh with all sorts of deprivations, not even taking advantage of proper sleep, since he did not go to rest either day or night, and therefore some members of his body reached the point of necrosis. At this time, as in the monastery, his main occupation continued to be the study of the sacred. Scriptures and their own instructive writings on various occasions presented themselves. By the way, he wrote three books against those who took up arms against those seeking monasticism, since at that time, regardless of the hostile attitude of the Arians towards the monastics, exposing their false teachings, many of the weak Orthodox laity rebelled against the hermits, accusing them of “taking away its servants from the world” and raising the best people not to serve the world. “I would like it too,” St. objects to those, by the way. Chrysostom - and no less, but even much more than yours, and even often prayed that the need for monasteries would pass, and that there would be so much piety in the cities, so that no one would ever need to flee into the desert. But since everything has fallen into disorder, and the cities where the courts and laws are full of lawlessness and untruth, and on the contrary, the desert grows the abundant fruit of wisdom, then justice demands that you blame not those who want to be saved from this storm and unrest and lead to a quiet haven, but those who make each city so inconvenient and unsuitable for philosophy that those seeking salvation are forced to run away into the desert... Given the general depravity of morals, John Chrysostom, seeing how difficult it is to raise children by the influences surrounding them, advises parents to protect them by raising them in a monastery, and to the objections of some of them: “let the children first take up the verbal sciences, study them successfully, and then move on to this wisdom,” he answered: “if anyone could provide a guarantee that children will retain good morals during their training in literature.” morality, then I not only would not want them to leave the cities and flee into the desert, on the contrary, I would not praise those who would persuade children to flee, but I would hate them as enemies of the whole society because, by hiding the candles and taking the lamps from the city to the desert, they steal the best goods from those living in the city. But since no one can promise this, what is the use of sending children to teachers from whom they learn vices rather than literature and, wanting to acquire less important things, will lose the most important thing - strength of soul and every good disposition! When the soul is chaste, there will be no loss from ignorance of eloquence; and when it is corrupted, then it causes the greatest harm, even if such a person’s tongue was very sophisticated, and even more harm, the more power in the word, since wickedness combined with art in the word produces much more evil than ignorance.” Continuing his feat disproportionate to human strength in a wild, damp and cold cave, John finally became completely weak, so that he could no longer satisfy all his needs with his own strength, and therefore, to improve his damaged health, he returned to Antioch. St. Meletius at the same time (at the beginning of 381), wishing to use the gifts of Joain for the benefit of the Church, ordained this great ascetic of the desert to the rank of deacon, who had already become famous and had earned general respect. Having become a servant of the altar, John zealously devoted himself to the activities characteristic of his soul, devoted all his time to the benefit and comfort of those in need and admonished the weak in the knowledge of Divine truths. During his five-year diaconate, he taught the sacraments of the faith to many who were baptized without preparation - on the occasion of an earthquake that threatened the destruction of Antioch, and at the same time, forgetting his illnesses and infirmities, he continued to edify Christians with his amazing and immortal writings. At this time, John wrote three books about providence, as a consolation to him who was embarrassed by temptations in the struggle with the difficulties of fulfilling the monastic vows of his former friend Stagirius. “I beg you,” Stagirius turned to John, “have mercy on me. whom you loved, and pluck me from the abyss of despair, to which I am ready to indulge, for nothing can compare with the suffering that I experience... And why was such unbearable torment sent to me? Why did all these disasters surround me in the desert, during a life more consistent with the rules of Christian morality, while, living in the world, I enjoyed complete prosperity? Constant embarrassment and fear are the feelings I constantly experience! Oh, woe is me! God has left me, and I am, as it were, condemned to forever be a victim of an evil spirit." Having responded immediately and with all the fullness of enlightened love to his suffering friend, John reminds him, among other things, that “sorrows, temptations and all the disasters that happen to us, as much as the pleasures in life, prove only God’s providence for us,” and that “if God allows the evil spirit to inflict sorrows on us and tempt us, then this is in order to accustom us to struggle, to arouse us to wakefulness, to multiply our crowns through victory, confirm them in a spirit of humility and force them to cleave closer to Him.” “God,” continued John, “every day arranges for our salvation many and great things that are known only to Him alone. And since He benefits our race solely out of His goodness, having no need for glorification from us or any other retribution, He does not reveal very much to us. If sometimes he opens, then he does it for us, so that we, having given Him gratitude, thereby attract even greater help from Him. Let us thank Him not only for what we know, but also for what we do not know, because He benefits us not only when we want it, but also when we don’t want it... And He pours out His benefits not only on the good, but also on the evil. If He cares so much about His enemies (i.e., those who sin, those who act against His will), then will He leave those who believe in Him and please Him to the best of their ability without care? So, when you think that for the sake of Christ you have left your father, home, friends, relatives, countless wealth and great glory, and yet you are enduring such sorrow, then do not lose heart; for God cannot lie, and He promised eternal life to the one who left all this. You have despised and renounced everything: what prevents you from hoping for God’s promise? Is there a temptation that oppresses you now? But God promised us eternal life not here. And even if this promise were to be fulfilled here, then even then there would be no need to grieve, because a pious and believing person must rely so firmly on the promise of God that, seeing events contrary to it, he would not be disturbed in spirit and would not despair of the fulfillment of the promises. But why does God allow events that contradict the promises? In order, firstly, to provide us with proof of His power, that is, that He can bring into fulfillment promises that seem to be the most incredible; secondly, to teach us to trust Him in everything, even if the events that happen to us seem to contradict the promises. If the dignity of faith consists in believing what we do not understand, then the dignity of perfect devotion and obedience consists in the exact fulfillment of the will of God, even if it contradicts our desires and even if we do not understand the hidden reasons for it. But you are still perplexed by the question: why do the righteous suffer more often, while the wicked are blissful? Here’s what I’ll say to this: since the Kingdom of Heaven has been revealed to us and reward is shown in the future life, then it’s no longer worth exploring why the righteous suffer sorrows here, and the wicked live in pleasures - because if everyone there is rewarded according to their deserts, then why be indignant at the events here, whether happy or unhappy? But since many do not want to accept the doctrine of the future life and resurrection, God still here presents in a small form the image of judgment, when he punishes the evil and rewards the good... If here none of the evil were punished at all, and none of the good received rewards, then many of those who did not believe the doctrine of the resurrection would bow to virtue as the cause of evil, and would look at sin as the cause of good; on the other hand, if everyone here received what they deserved, then the doctrine of judgment might seem unnecessary and false.” “Let us not grumble at God for what happens to us, but let us thank Him.” “So continue to fight courageously and especially beware of despondency, which weakens the strength of the soul. - The main thing that can serve to strengthen you in your feat is the memory that the time of rewards and crowns is the future century, and the present is a time of struggle and labor, if only we want to enjoy eternal peace and countless benefits. “Pay attention to the blessed and valiant ascetics who lived in former times, and you will see that through sorrow they all acquired boldness towards God.”... In 386, Flavian, successor to the Antiochian throne of St. Meletia, deeply appreciating the high moral qualities of the “holy deacon” John, ordained him to the priesthood and soon after his ordination entrusted him with the duty of speaking teachings to the people of Antioch. Remarkable for its deep humility is the first word with which the newly consecrated presbyter addressed his flock: “Is what happened to us true? Is the present not night and dream, but really day, and we are all awake? And who would believe this, that during the day, when people were awake and not sleeping, a poor and rejected youth was elevated to such a height of leadership... And now everything happened, came true and was accomplished, as you see, and precisely in such a way that is more incredible than a dream: and a city so vast and populous, a wonderful and great people, greedily listens to our wretchedness, as if it would hear from us something great and excellent. "... “Intending to speak in church for the first time, I wanted to dedicate the beginnings of the introductory conversation to God, who gave us the language, because not only the beginnings of the threshing floor and the grindstone, but also the beginnings of words should be dedicated to the Word, since this fruit is more characteristic of us and more pleasant to the most revered God, for the berries and ears grow from the bowels of the earth, cultivated by the hands of farmers, and the sacred song gives birth to piety of the soul, cultivates a good conscience, and God receives into the heavenly granaries... but one wise man stops the mouth and frightens, saying: “Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner”... (Sir. 15:9). – And Chrysostom concludes this word with an appeal to the people: “Pray, that great reinforcement will come to me from above!” I already needed protection, especially now I need many hands and countless prayers, so that I can return the deposit intact to the Lord who gave it on the day when those who received the talents will be recognized and introduced, and will have to give an account.” And for 12 years after that, until his episcopal service, Chrysostom’s sermon poured out in the Church of Antioch and satisfied everyone, although Antioch at that time accommodated up to two hundred thousand inhabitants, one half of whom consisted of Orthodox Christians, and the other of pagans, Jews and heretics. And John preached daily during fasting, and two or three times a week on ordinary days, not counting the feasts of saints, martyrs and special occasions. The number of his conversations was extremely large, and they aroused the full attention of the people, who constantly flocked in large numbers to listen to him and, in an abundance of feelings, called him either sweet-talked, honey-melting, or the mouth of God and Christ. One simple woman called him Chrysostom, who, once listening to him and carried away by the impression of something beautiful, higher, loudly exclaimed: “Spiritual teacher John, golden hundred! your teaching is profound, and our weak mind cannot comprehend everything.”... From that time on, all the people began to call John Chrysostom, and the Church itself retained this name. Noticing the impression made by his words, John said: “You praise the word; you accept the admonition with great noise and applause... but it is better to express praise with deeds: I seek such praise, such applause by deeds themselves.” Constantly trying to imitate St. To the Apostle Paul, whose life John carefully studied and whose love John is the ideal of the love of one person for another, he had the goal of life - care for every soul; He used all the powers given to him from above to enlighten, teach, lead to God and save everyone, becoming, like Paul, everything to everyone, in order to win everyone to Jesus Christ. But no matter how great the zeal was, no matter how significant the contribution to the elevation of morality among the people, it was still not enough to heal all the evils that arose from the inveterate depravity of the morals of that time, about which he himself speaks in the following description: “the disasters now oppressing the holy Church are no less, what am I saying? - they are still much more than they were in previous centuries. I am not talking here about omens, nor about fortune-telling, nor about a horoscope (fortune-telling by the hour of birth), nor about icons, nor about witchcraft, nor about the sacraments of magic, nor about a thousand other superstitious customs that many Christians indulged in. I search among the sheep of the verbal flock for true Christians, but I do not find them. Are there those who would not slander their brothers, who would not have envy, who would not indulge in hatred and revenge, who would not be carried away by voluptuousness or stinginess? What corruption in the young and neglect in the old! Nobody wants to raise children. The pagans look at us carefully; the holiness of our life should lead them to God and excite them to a better life; but alas! in fact the opposite turns out. How can they turn from the errors of paganism when they see in us the same desires, the same passions as theirs; when we are in no way inferior to them in popularity; with the same greed we pursue earthly honors and dignity. What can motivate them to accept the Christian faith when they see that you, with the best faith, lead the same earthly and criminal life, admire and love wealth in the same way, seek the comforts of life and shudder at the mere thought of death? Is it not so little that we express patience when disasters befall us, illnesses and all the general disadvantages of earthly life? Don’t we run to the circus and theater with the same speed as they do, only to then wallow in the mire of carnal pleasures? So, can they, looking at our criminal behavior, believe in the Divine truths that we preach to them? What can convince them? Miracles? But they are currently few in number. Sanctity of morals? But almost no one's life serves as a model for it. The greatness and versatility of your love? But our souls are completely empty; there is not a trace of this warm feeling in them 219... So, we serve as the cause of the wickedness of the pagans and we will give an account to God for the obstacle to their conversion that we present to them with our corrupt and relaxed morals. Oh! let us ascend into ourselves, awaken from deep slumber, let us lead a heavenly life and strive as fighters for eternal life.” St. preached especially often and eloquently. Chrysostom about mercy for the poor. He completely sympathized with poverty. He called true poverty a safe refuge, a calm haven, a constant exercise in true wisdom, an imitation of the angelic life and a path to heaven. “The soul of a true poor Christian and submissive to the will of Providence,” he said, “glitters like gold; shines like a pearl; she is fresh and fragrant, like a rose; she is not undermined by the worm of envy, not plundered by the insatiable passion of acquisitiveness and not outraged by worries about this life. True, she does not command people, but demons obey her, she is removed from the great rulers of the earth, but she approaches God Himself; she does not wage war with people, but she has the angels themselves as collaborators in the spiritual struggle; she does not own bars of gold and silver, does not have any treasures, but she is so rich in her poverty that she considers all the riches of the world to be nothing.”220 To further convince the hard-hearted rich, John made a statistical survey of the poor who were in Antioch. “In this city,” he said, “there are 20 thousand richest inhabitants, 60 thousand also with abundant wealth, 80 thousand living by their own labor and only 20 thousand so-called beggars. If all these persons with abundant wealth divided among themselves the poor who needed daily food and necessary clothing, then barely one or two would go to ten. The Church of Antioch feeds up to three thousand needy people, despite the fact that its income is not nearly as great as the income of one of the richest citizens of the city. What kind of apology will we present at the judgment of God, in which will we find salvation for ourselves, spending our lives in feasts, bliss and voluptuousness, while the poor die of hunger, cold and other disastrous consequences of poverty? “The merciful Lord Jesus Christ commands us to accept even the most despicable,” St. Chrysostom to the tolerance and generosity of wealthy people - because even if the one you received was neither a disciple, nor a prophet, nor a righteous man, he is still a person who lives in the same world with you, sees the same sun, has the same soul, the same Lord, partakes of the same sacraments with you, is also called to heaven, and has absolutely the right to demand charity from you, being poor and needing the necessary food." John exhorts to give alms - without reproaching, without scolding, without being burdened by those who seem unworthy. “Don’t you know,” he reminds, “how much one word can either encourage or lead to despondency, for it is said: a word is better than a gift (Sir. 18:16). “Don’t you realize that you are raising a sword against yourself and inflicting a severe wound on yourself when the beggar you cursed leaves you silently, sighing and shedding tears?” God sends a beggar to you. So, when offending him, think about who you are offending when God Himself sends him to you and tells you to serve him. He Himself sends the poor to us, and when we give, we give from God.” St. himself Chrysostom gave everything he had, and when he had nothing, with his sincere, eloquent intercession he aroused in others compassion for the unfortunate and helped to ensure that they did not remain helpless. God led this zealous, tireless patron of the poor to rise up to defend both the richest and all the citizens of his city. This was at a time when the people, irritated by the new tax imposed due to military circumstances, made an open indignation: the mob, driven to fury by various instigators, overthrew the imperial statues, dragged them through the streets and finally smashed them into pieces with impudent ridicule and curses... By the evening this popular storm subsided and was replaced by an ominous silence... The rebels, having come to their senses, came to horror at the realization of what they could expect... The matter was irreparable, couriers were already rushing from Antioch with a report to Emperor Theodosius. In the city, a search began for the culprits and the dungeons were filled with people of all ages and conditions suspected of indignation. Not having the strength to prevent the popular uprising, John remained silent in the first days of the terrible events: “sorrow did not allow his word to flow freely from his heart, and the despondency that covered the souls of Antiochian, like an impenetrable cloud, did not allow the word of the teacher access to them” 221. But after a week, when their hearts humbled themselves, softened and felt inclined to accept the words of the shepherd with confidence, he entered the pulpit with a convincing word about repentance and consolation. - “What should I say and what should I talk about? - he began, addressing the people, - now is the time for tears, not words; sobs, not speeches; prayers, not sermons. So grave is the crime, so incurable is the wound, so great is the ulcer: it is beyond all medicine and requires help from above.” “Nothing was more glorious than our city; now nothing became more pity for him. Its inhabitants, like bees buzzing around a hive, crowded into the square every day, and everyone still considered us happy for being so crowded. But now, this hive is empty, because like the smoke of the bees, fear drove us away... Recently our city was subjected to an earthquake, and now the very souls of the inhabitants are shaking; Then the foundations of houses shook, now the very foundation of everyone’s heart trembles. We all see death before our eyes every day, live in constant fear and endure the punishment of Cain, suffering more than those imprisoned and enduring an extraordinary and new siege, more terrible than which one cannot imagine.”... “But - give me your souls, bow your ears, cast aside your sorrow! - the shepherd hastens to encourage the discouraged, - let's return to the previous custom, and just as we are accustomed to always being here with complacency, we will do so now, placing everything on God. This will also serve us to end the disaster, because when He sees that we listen to His word with attention and do not abandon wisdom in the most difficult times, He will soon give us help and bring about a good change and silence in the present storm. A Christian must differ from the infidels in this way, in order to endure everything complacently and, inspired by the hope of the future, soar to a height inaccessible to human disasters. The faithful one stands on the rock, and therefore is inaccessible to the blows of the waves. Let the waves of temptation rise, they will not reach his feet: he stands above all such slander. Let us not lose heart, beloved! We ourselves are not so concerned about our salvation as God who created us; It is not so much that we worry so as not to suffer some calamity, but rather the One who gave us a soul and then gives us the same many blessings. Let us inspire ourselves with such hope and let us complacently wait for what will please the Lord to do with us.” Meanwhile, with the increasing confusion of the people, when rumors spread that Antioch would be completely destroyed, since the angry Theodosius allegedly vowed to “drive the plow through this city for the fear of ungrateful and restless peoples,” the elderly Bishop Flavian decided to go to Constantinople himself to beg the emperor to have mercy on the guilty but repentant Antiochians. In the absence of the saint, John served the people even more diligently, comforting and encouraging them, arousing repentance in them and inspiring courage to endure the present and future trials. “You should not be afraid of anything except sin,” John taught, “of all human evils, sin alone is real evil, and not poverty, not illness, not insult, not dishonor, and not even death. These misfortunes for the wise are such only in name, and not in reality; to anger God and do something displeasing to Him, that is true misfortune! Really, what's so scary about death? - Tell me. Is it that it rather leads to a quiet haven and that serene life? Even if a person does not kill you, will not the very law of nature, at a certain time, separate your body from your soul? Even if what we fear doesn’t happen now, it will happen a little later. I say this not because I expected anything terrible or sad, but because I am ashamed of those who are afraid of death. Do you expect such blessings, but you have not seen them, have not heard them, and have not sighed in the heart of a person (1 Cor. 2:9), and you are not in a hurry to enjoy them? Are you negligent and procrastinating, and not only are you procrastinating, but you are also afraid and trembling? And aren’t you ashamed to grieve over death when Paul sighed over this life?”... John spoke these grace-filled teachings (19 in number) during Great Lent, and the people, under their influence, were noticeably purified spiritually from day to day; the circus and theater were forgotten; the more seductive songs and laughter that had previously been heard in the streets and squares were no longer heard; everyone was full of repentant and prayerful mood; even the shops were closed, and the whole city seemed to have turned into a church. “You and your conscience are witnesses,” John told them on this occasion, how much benefit we received from this temptation. The intemperate has now become chaste, the daring has become more modest, the careless has become caring; those who have never seen a church, but spent all their time at the spectacles, now spend whole days in the church. The square was empty, but the church was filled; This one arouses sadness, this one gives spiritual joy and joy." Meanwhile, Flavian appeared to the emperor, and God helped him soften his anger and touch the heart of Theodosius with a strong Christian word. Without justifying the crimes of those who were indignant against the royal decree and who insulted his person by overthrowing the statues of his father and the deceased Empress Flaquilla, the memory of which was dear to him, the saint turned only to the generosity of the emperor and begged him, following the example of Christ, to forgive the guilty, so that the Christian faith, which gives the power to forgive enemies, would be glorified... - And Theodosius forgave, - and even, pitying those who were in fear and trembling of his offenders, he hurried Flavian to return to them: “I know,” he said, “that now their souls are indignant, and there are still many traces of misfortune: go and console them. When they see the helmsman, they will not remember the past storm, but they will completely erase the very memory of the disasters.”... Just before Easter, Flavian returned to Antioch and rejoiced the people with the news of forgiveness. The whole city gathered in the church, rejoiced and thanked the saint. John greeted the people with a special word and concluded: “You met our shepherd, decorating the streets with torches and wreaths, and celebrated as if at the rebirth of your city; do the same at all times, only in a different way: decorating yourself not with flowers, but with virtue, lighting the lamps of good deeds in your hearts, rejoicing with spiritual joy and constantly thanking God not only for the end of your calamities, but also for the fact that He sent them to you.” From 389 St. Chrysostom was engaged in the interpretation of St. Scriptures; he delivered to the people of Antioch 75 discourses on the book of Genesis, 58 on the Psalms, 90 discourses, which still constitute the best of all interpretations on the Gospel of Matthew, 88 on the Gospel of John, 32 discourses on the Epistle to the Romans, 74 on both epistles to the Corinthians, which occupy the first place among his creations - 1 interpretation on the Epistle to the Galatians, 24 discourses on the Epistle to Ephesians, to both letters to Timothy there are 28 conversations. He also spoke several conversations about Lazarus, about repentance, 21 conversations of Antiochus. to the people on the occasion of the uprising, teachings against the Anomeans and Jews and many conversations on various occasions. The fame of these writings, which had a powerful influence during John’s life, spread everywhere after his death: “not knowing such beautiful creations is the same as not seeing the sun at noon,” says St. John, who lived in the same century as John, about them. Isidore, expressing surprise and regret that they were unknown to one of his friends, is it possible to read the works of Chrysostom without admiring them? Is there such an insensitive person who would not thank Providence for giving the world such a brilliant luminary? Feeling that he was not struggling fruitlessly for the common good, since the morality of the people had risen significantly, and even the Jews, pagans and heretics, denounced by him 222, no longer dared to raise their voices, John, tied to his flock with paternal love, would have been glad to continue his priestly activity until the end of his life, but since his strength often failed him, his ailments increased, he sometimes he thought about returning to the mountains and a restful life among the wonderful hermits, among whom death seemed especially joyful to him - but God was pleased to call him to a new and stormy struggle, which was supposed to lead the ascetic to his desired fatherland only by martyrdom... When Archbishop Nektarios, successor of Gregory the Theologian, died in Constantinople in 397, while the court was undecided as to whom to elect in his place, the eunuch Eutropius, the first minister of the Emperor Arcadius, who had great influence over him, pointed him to John, whom he recognized during his journey to the East and whose fame was already spread throughout the empire. And then, by the unanimous desire of the emperor, the clergy and the people, it was decided to elect Chrysostom to the see of the capital. But they were perplexed as to how to take her beloved saint from Antioch without stirring up a general murmur and even an uprising? Therefore, it was necessary to resort to cunning: the ruler of the East, Asterius, invited John to visit with him the countryside places of the martyrs, and when, suspecting nothing, John agreed to this, then Asterius, leaving the city with him to the station, here handed over John to messengers from the emperor, who immediately took him to Constantinople, where he was on February 26, 398. solemnly consecrated to the rank of Archbishop of Constantinople, despite resistance from the Patriarch of Alexandria Theophilos, who, for the sake of his personal goals, wanted to deliver this place to one presbyter Isidore, and since he failed, he became an enemy of John and this enmity brought countless disasters upon John John did not find the church affairs in a brilliant state, neglected during the 16-year administration of the Church of Nektarios, who was not distinguished by either the knowledge, zeal, or holiness of his great predecessor Gregory, and therefore John had to intensify his activity in order to bring everything into proper order; But was he, blessed and strengthened by the new gifts of the Holy Spirit, forced to retreat or not to overcome all the difficulties of his new feat, and, indeed, the deeds that he accomplished in the field newly opened to him are almost immeasurable. In the highest rank, with his activities becoming more complex, John did not abandon his strict monastic deeds. Taking advantage of the slightest opportunity, he retired to prayer, reading and writing. He devoted very little time to sleep and did not break his fast, not eating anything other than barley bread with water. Setting an example of complete abstinence, John paid strict attention to the correction of the clergy, many of whose members declared themselves greedy and prone to luxury; he urged the clergy to move away from noisy societies, to engage in spiritual matters, to take care of the fulfillment of their sacred duties and not to give the worldly people any reason to condemn the fact that some of the clergy, not related by marriage, kept women in their houses under various pretexts. Having done what he could to correct the vices that darkened the honor of the virgins and the altar, John also took care of changes in the improvement of the condition of widows. Some of them were elected to deaconesses, whose duty was to teach the dogmas of the faith to newly enlightened wives and sometimes serve during baptism; they also had to exercise themselves in works of piety, and were under the protection of the Church; but even among the societies of these widows, whose title was very common in the 4th century, especially in Constantinople, relaxation and abuse crept in. The zealous and pious saint also drew attention to this: some affirmed their unwavering adherence to the feat undertaken, while others advised it was better to get married than to give rise to blasphemy or slander against the Christian faith by being inconsistent with their rank or suspicious behavior. And his words, his writings and advice, and most importantly, the example of his holy life aroused in them a saving consciousness and inspired them to zeal in deeds of piety. Among these deaconesses, Olympias was remarkable in her virtues, being at the head of a large society of widows, holyly laboring under the leadership of John, deeply devoted to him, serving a lot for his consolation, and who was destined to endure, together with her shepherd, many and difficult persecutions 223. Tirelessly concerned about the correction of the classes consecrated to the service of God, John also cared for all other believers entrusted to his care, and above all, he tried to instill in everyone, without distinction, the need for public and private prayer. In order to establish among the people zeal for prayer, as well as for visiting prisons and charity, John instituted (as in Antioch) the reading of psalms in the church, the singing of sacred songs in homes, in workshops and among field work. “Nothing,” he says when explaining the 41st Psalm, “excites and inspires the soul so much, nothing with such force tears it away from the earth and frees it from the bonds of the flesh, nothing disposes so much to wisdom and elevates it above everything worldly, like a harmonious verse and a sacred song composed according to the law of rhythm. Our nature is so delighted by chants and poems, it has such an affinity with them that even infants, if they cry and worry, are lulled to sleep by them. The nurses, carrying them in their arms, walk back and forth and, singing children's songs to them, thereby console their restless crying. Often, too, travelers riding on livestock on hot afternoons sing and ease the burden of travel by singing. Likewise, farmers, whether squeezing juice from grapes or doing anything else, usually sing. And sailors, working with oars, do the same. Finally, women, when they weave or take apart the threads tangled in the mill with a shuttle, sometimes each separately, sometimes all in one voice, sing some kind of song... “Nevertheless, women and travelers, farmers and sailors do this in order to sweeten their labors with singing, since the soul, with the sounds of poetry and songs, can more easily endure everything - both boredom and labor. So, if this kind of amusement is so akin to our soul, then God, in order to prevent people from being deceived and corrupted by evil songs, established psalms, the nature of which is such that from them a person receives both pleasure and benefit. Worldly songs cause a lot of harm, corruption and other evils, because everything that is bad and immoral in them, penetrating into the soul, weakens and corrupts it. On the contrary, spiritual songs provide great benefit and edification: they are sources of sanctification, guides to wisdom, because the words in them purify the soul, and the Holy Spirit descends into the souls of those who sing them, since those who sing psalms with consciousness actually call upon themselves His grace, which sanctifies both the lips and souls of those who sing. I say this not only to incite you to sing psalmody, but so that you teach your children and wives to sing spiritual songs, not only during homework, but especially at meals” 224. Calling the people to prayer, John with his teachings evoked other spiritual forces in them, and his word amazed and acted just as powerfully here as in Antioch. He took advantage of every opportunity to develop Christian piety among the people, and his labors were not unsuccessful. Instead of circuses and shows, the people began to diligently visit churches and fell in love with John so much, so thirsted for his speeches that every day they flocked to him in large numbers and crowded around him so as not to utter a single word of his. The Christian activity of the saint extended beyond the borders of Constantinople: through his efforts, many of the Scythians, Goths infected with Arianism, and even the Phoenician pagans turned to Orthodoxy. St. Proclus, Bishop of Constantinople, in a speech of praise to St. Chrysostom says: “he drove away error from everywhere, in Ephesus he exposed the deception of the Mede, in Phrygia he disgraced the so-called mother of the gods, in Caesarea he exposed the dishonesty of public debauchery, in Syria he abolished synagogues that were hostile to the Lord, in Persia he sowed the word of piety; planted the roots of Orthodoxy everywhere.” John protected his church with divine statutes; set out in writing the order of the liturgy (known since then under the name of Chrysostom), shortening the order of the liturgy, which had previously been shortened by St. Basil the Great from the ancient order of the Jerusalem Church. Proclus assigns the reason for this reduction to Chrysostom’s condescending love for the people, who were burdened by the duration of the ancient liturgy and therefore sometimes did not attend the liturgy, or, when attending, weakened in their attention to it 225. “Preserving the Orthodox from the snares of the Arians, who, with pleasant singing during the processions of the cross on holidays, caught them to themselves, John also established in Constantinople processions of the cross with the singing of antiphons, which received the beginning in the Church of Christ from the Apostles, and the Orthodox,” says Sozomen, “became more remarkable than the adherents of the opposite heresy, so that they surpassed them both in numbers and splendor, for they were preceded by and silver signs of crosses accompanied by burning lamps." In many Christian villages, John built holy churches through the sacrifices of benefactors, whom he knew how to win over with his exhortations. Always and vigilantly caring for the poor he loved, the saint “separated part of the episcopal income for the maintenance of the hospital and built almshouses, the supervision of which he entrusted to two pious presbyters; He chose doctors and other servants for the sick. He also convinced all believers in Constantinople to each have a shelter for the poor in their own home and to imitate the first Christians, who had everything in common.”226 During the few years of control of the Church of Constantinople by John, it managed to reach a flourishing state. “The clergy was organized, simony was destroyed, heresies were suppressed, the poor and sick were provided with all possible assistance; monastics, virgins and widows represented high examples of moral improvement. Even those who lived only for the world, who, one might say, frantically rushed to circus games and theatrical performances, finally yielded to the tireless zeal and captivating eloquence of their shepherd, abandoned their absent-mindedness and stopped going to the theaters, and instead joyfully went to the Church of God 227. In a word, Constantinople has completely changed, and all this was accomplished by one man, a man inspired by love, armed with the all-conquering gift of eloquent speech. - Meanwhile, this man also had enemies... and even quite a few enemies in all layers of society: these were those (especially from the clergy) for whom the pure life of the saint served in itself as a silent reproach, not to mention the denunciations to which their vices were subjected by the zealous preacher of truth and goodness. They all looked for an opportunity to slander John and spread ridiculous rumors about him, interpreting his every word and every action in a bad way. Some of them, including several noble and wealthy women, having access to the court, tried to win over Empress Eudoxia to their side and managed to convince her that John allowed himself, in his teachings in the church, to insult the queen with hints casting a shadow on her. This was enough to arouse a feeling of revenge in a proud and irritable woman, whose own conscience testified to her that she was not alien to vices, for example. love of money, vanity and love of luxury, for which John threatened with the judgment of God from his pulpit... Eudoxia complained to the emperor and ordered John to be reprimanded for his bold speeches; He, through those sent by her, answered her: “I cannot help but hear the voices of the offended and crying; I cannot help but reprove those who have sinned: I am a bishop, and I have been entrusted with the care of souls. Therefore, I must look at everything with a vigilant eye, accept petitions from everyone, instruct everyone and reproach those who do not repent, for I know how dangerous it is not to expose iniquities. If I keep silent about lawlessness and untruth, then I will earn the accusation of the prophet: the priests have hidden the way of the Lord (Hos. 6:9). And the Apostle teaches us: preach the word, insist temporarily and untimely, reprove, threaten, exhort (2 Tim. 4:2). I rebuke iniquity, but not the doers of iniquity; I don’t name anyone, but I teach everyone not to do evil, not to offend their neighbor. If one of my listeners is convicted by his conscience of an unrighteous deed, then he should be indignant not at me, but at himself; He should try to correct his life. If the queen does not know the evil behind her, then she has nothing to be angry about; She should rather rejoice that I diligently instruct her subjects in goodness. I will not stop telling the truth, because I must please God rather than man.” The extremely irritated empress finally decided to act against John. She entered into relations with his worst enemy, Theophilus of Alexandria, summoned him to Constantinople, and he, armed with various, albeit unfair, claims on the saint, but counting on the weakness of the character of Emperor Arcadius, and on the sympathy of Eudoxia, and on the assistance of bishops, clergy and various strong persons who were indignant at John for his denunciations, hastened to the capital in order to draw up a council against John. It took place in 402 in a suburb of Chalcedon called Oak, with 45 bishops presided over by Theophilus. The council was attended mostly by those who, for some reason, harbored enmity against John, among other things, those whom he had deprived of the bishopric. They did not hesitate to put forward many indictments (up to 29), the justice of which can be judged by the fact that John was accused either of being merciful to sinners and pagans, or of being strict with the clergy; they accused him of “always eating alone and not inviting anyone to his place,” that he was arrogant and stingy, condemned him for non-observance of certain rituals, attached such significance to his various words and actions as the most dishonest and malicious slander could invent, and called him to trial for all these charges. Meanwhile, another council of 40 bishops was formed in Constantinople in defense of St. Chrysostom. He represented to the Dubsky Council that neither Theophilus had the right to judge matters outside his own region, nor John and no bishop could be judged outside his diocese. This drove the members of the Dub Cathedral into such a frenzy that they responded with various violence to representatives of the opposing opinion. Having learned about this, John refused to appear at the trial of the Dubsky Cathedral, demanding that he be judged by an ecumenical council and that his enemies be removed. Despite John’s refusal, he was called four more times and, finally, blaming him for not obeying when called, they deposed him. The weak-willed Arkady, to whom John’s disobedience was presented as an insult to the august person, ordered the archbishop to be sent to prison... As soon as the news of this reached the people, he rushed to the church, where his beloved saint was at that time, in order to protect him from violence: the first guard who came for John was repulsed; when, two days later, the emperor’s decree was sent again, John decided to surrender himself into the hands of the person sent for him, but before that he said goodbye to the people, addressing them with the following speech: “Strong waves, a fierce storm! But I am not afraid of drowning, because I am standing on a stone... Let the sea rage: it cannot crush the stone! Let the waves rise: they cannot swallow the ship of Jesus! Tell me, what should I be afraid of? Is it really death? – For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Phil.1:21). Really links? The Lord's earth and its fulfillment (Ps. 23:1). Is it really an inventory of the estate? We brought nothing into the world; Of course, we cannot take anything out of it (1 Tim. 6:7). I despise the fears of this world and laugh at its blessings. I am not afraid of poverty, I do not desire wealth; I am not afraid of death and do not desire life, except for your success. This is why I am talking about my current circumstances, this is why I am turning to you, to reassure you. No one can separate us. What God has united, man cannot divide. If a marriage cannot be dissolved, then it is even more impossible to dissolve the Church of God. There is nothing stronger than the Church. How many tyrants tried to destroy it! But they didn’t have time to do anything. Where are these enemies now? Nobody talks about them: they are all forgotten. Where is the Church? She shines brighter than the sun. If Christians remained invincible when there were few of them, is it possible to defeat them now, when the whole universe is filled with piety? Don't be disturbed by the present event; show me your love in one thing - in unshakable faith. I have the pledge of the Lord, and do not rely on my strength. I have His Scripture. It is my support, it is my fortress, it is my calm haven. Let the whole earth be in confusion: I have the Scripture, I read it; the words in it are a wall and a fence for me. What words? I am with you to the end of the age (Matthew 28:30). Christ is with me; Who should I be afraid of? Let the waves rise upon me, let the sea, let the fury of the strong! All this is weaker than a spider's web to me. You alone hold me with your love. I always pray: Thy will be done, Lord! Not as one or the other wants, but as You want. Here is my fortress, here is my immovable stone; here is my unshakable cane. If God wills, then so be it! If He wants to leave me here, I thank Him. I will thank Him wherever He wants to place me. Don't be embarrassed by anything. Try to be in prayer... Where I am, there you are; and where you are, there I am. We are one body. But the body is not separated from the head, just as the head is not separated from the body. We are separated by place, but united by love; not even death can separate you. Although my body will die, my soul will be alive and will begin to remember this people. You are my dear ones, you are my life, you are my glory: how can I forget you... If you succeed, that is glory to me; and my life, like wealth, lies in your treasury. I am ready to lay down my soul a thousand times for you... I endure everything for my love for you, because I am doing everything to bring you safety - so that no stranger will enter my flock - and it will remain blameless.”... 228. Having spoken his word, John dismissed the people and gave himself into the hands of the royal official. That same night he was transported to Preneta - in Bithynia. But as soon as rumors spread about the removal of the saint, the people became very indignant not only against the bishops, but also against the king and, surrounding the palace, demanded the return of their beloved shepherd, but in vain: no one listened to him. Meanwhile, night fell and, as if at the same time as the people’s excitement, the elements began to rage, and the whole city was shocked by a strong earthquake. “This is the execution of Heaven! - shouts were then heard from all sides, - this is a manifestation of the wrath of righteous Heaven! Woe to us! We are lost if the holy bishop is not returned." The Empress, frightened by both the popular unrest and the earthquake, the shocks of which were especially felt in the palace, hastened to send John a letter in which she assured him “that she is innocent of the plans arranged against him and that she respects him as God’s servant and the secret guide of her children,” 229 and begged him to quickly return to the capital and save the city from danger; ambassador after ambassador hurried to John, repeating the requests of the emperor and empress; he returned, but, stopping in one suburb, in a country palace near Anapla, refused to enter the city itself until the new council considered his affairs; however, for the sake of calming the worried people and accompanied by the inhabitants who walked with lighted candles and chanted hymns prepared for this occasion, he solemnly entered the city and entered the church, blessed the people and poured out the praise of the Lord: “Blessed is God, who sent me away! Blessed is He who brought me back! Blessed is God who let the storm come upon me, and blessed is He who removed it! “I say this in order,” John concluded, “to dispose you to thank God. Prosperity has come, thank God, and prosperity will be sure. Misfortunes have come, thank God, and the misfortunes will stop.”... The next day the saint again talked with the people, and the church was filled with such enthusiastic applause that Chrysostom had to stop the conversation without finishing it. Soon, a council formed in Constantinople of 70 bishops destroyed the definition of the Council of Oak, but St. Chrysostom, not content with this, asked the emperor to convene the very bishops who accused him to try him. As a result, decrees were sent to Theophilus and his accomplices, but they all evaded. Theophilus, despite the approaching winter, secretly sailed to Alexandria. John again took charge of his flock. But not for long. His enemies, who were even more indignant at him for his triumph, were vigilantly looking for an opportunity to overthrow him, and this opportunity was not slow to present itself. Two months later, upon the return of Chrysostom, a statue in honor of Eudoxia was erected in front of the St. Sophia Church; on this occasion, for the amusement of the people, public games and spectacles were organized on Sunday. The prefect of the city, from the Manichaean sect, but not completely behind the pagan customs, was zealous about amusements to the point that he allowed all sorts of intemperance, and some of the people, among the games and dancing, became so carried away that this caused confusion during the Divine service, to which the pious saint could not be indifferent and, going out to the people, spoke to them a word in which he bitterly complained about the insult caused to the temple, attacked the addiction to spectacles and accused not only those present at these spectacles, but also those who allowed them. This served as a reason to irritate the empress again, in whose eyes John was presented as her enemy, who did not even want to endure the honors instituted in honor of her statue. Under her influence, Arcadius again allowed a council (in March 404), which, however, after a long discussion of the indictments against John, was forced to announce to the emperor that he did not find a solid basis for the deposition of the archbishop and submitted the decision to his authority. Meanwhile, John’s enemies were not idle and managed to persuade the emperor to sign a decree expelling the archbishop. In the evening, on the eve of Easter, 400 armed soldiers burst into the temple where John was with the bishops and flock, and began to disperse the people; thousands of those preparing for baptism fled from the temple, many were killed: “what happened during this turmoil,” says Sozomen, “I am keeping silent about it with the intention that one of the pagans would not read my description”... John was taken to the house, from where he did not leave for two months, until he received the royal decree to go into exile. Before leaving, he said goodbye in church to the bishops and ministers of the Church devoted to him; leaving, he told them: “stay in the unity of the world, and I’m going to rest a little... Then he went into the baptismal porch and, bidding farewell to Olympias the deaconess and others, said: “My end, it seems, has approached; I have finished my work, and you, perhaps, will no longer see my face... Continue to serve the Church with the same zeal as your cause, and remember me in your prayers "... Then, avoiding saying goodbye to the people who were waiting for him to leave the church, he left from the opposite side and, boarding a ship with an official sent for him, crossed over to Bithynia on June 20, 404. - On the very night of his departure there was a strong fire that destroyed the church of St. Sofia, the Senate and many public and private buildings; John's enemies accused his followers of arson and began to brutally persecute the suspects. In order to force, by the way, a confession of an imaginary arson from one young reader Eutropius, they tortured him with whips, sticks, nails on his ribs and cheeks, they burned his body and, not having achieved a confession of what neither he nor any of the Christians could commit, they threw him into prison, where he died. Deaconess Olympias was also brought to justice for the same reason. “The burning of the church could not be the goal of one who spent her enormous fortune on the churches of God,” she answered; nevertheless, although they could not accuse her given the lack of evidence, they sentenced her to a huge monetary penalty. In addition to the fire, a number of other events seemed to testify to the wrath of God on those who unrighteously condemned the one who created and firmly supported piety among the people - but those who were angry with the saint did not come to their senses and soon, at the direction of Eudoxia, an even more distant exile was appointed for him to Armenia, to the town of Kukuz, separated from the rest of the world, deprived of all the comforts of life and, moreover, located in a country subject to raids by wild ones. and the cruel Isaurians. This was the last manifestation of Eudoxia’s anger: three months after that she died in childbirth.. With unwavering humility, John accepted the news of his further exile and set off on a difficult journey, which is known from his 14th letter to Deaconess Olympias: “Do not be upset much by what I will tell you, on the contrary, rejoice in the Lord,” he consoles his devoted friend, “all the sorrows and persecutions that I had to endure from those people from whom I could least expect this, give me the opportunity to earn forgiveness of sins; I will say even more: this is my victorious palms, my crowns, my countless riches, my immortal treasure. Having escaped from the hands of the Galatian 230, who threatened me almost with death, I was preparing to enter the borders of Cappadocia, but on the road many met me and said that Bishop Faretrius 231 was waiting for me impatiently, looking for me in all ways, so that he could have the pleasure of embracing me and showing me all possible respect and love, and with this intention he sent many monks and nuns to meet me. Knowing well what feelings Faretri had for me, I was extremely surprised by this... Finally, I reached Caesarea, but was extremely tired from the length of the journey and the unbearable heat of the sun's rays; the unbearable heat of the fever, which had reached its highest stage of development, burned me so much that I experienced the pangs of death. I stopped at the end of the city; I was in a hurry to find some help, asked a doctor who could extinguish this furnace that was burning me, but he could not find it. Finally, God took pity on me: soon the entire clergy, people, monks, nuns, doctors surrounded me; everyone was in a hurry to help me, everyone tried to provide some kind of service. With the assistance of doctors, the fever began to subside. But Faretri did not appear, but was impatiently waiting only for my exit, and I could not understand the reason for this. When I felt that my illness began to pass, I began to think about a further journey to Kukuz. Meanwhile, a rumor spread that armed Isaurians were devastating the environs of Caesarea; all the inhabitants were in extreme fear. However, I was at peace, surrendering in everything to the will of God; but, thinking about the attack of the Isaurians, I did not expect a blow from the other side... Imagine my surprise when, at dawn, many monks surrounded my house, shouting and threatening to burn it and harm me if I did not leave the city... In vain they told them about the pitiful state of my health, about the danger of falling into the hands of enemies; in vain the governor himself sent to ask Faretri to give me a few days' time - the next day the monks with even greater insistence demanded my departure from the city. Everyone openly said that this was being done according to Faretrius’s thoughts. And I decided to go, although I was convinced that I was going to obvious death. The people cried, cursed the author of my disasters, but one cleric, devoted to me; came up to me and said: go, I beg you; If you get caught by the Isaurians, just get rid of us, because wherever you end up, you will be safer everywhere if you just get away from our hands." At this time, one kind woman, Seleucia, the minister’s wife, sheltered John and invited him to stay in her village, five miles from Caesarea. “As soon as Faretrius found out about my place of stay,” continues John, “he began to make terrible threats to this woman, who gave me peace of mind; but I knew nothing about this, Seleucia hid it from me and only ordered the gathering of villagers from other villages in case they came to protect me if they came to disturb my peace. On the third day, however, she invited me, for the sake of the most convenient peace of mind, to retire to a fortified castle in another of her villages, but, feeling good here too, I refused the offer; Meanwhile, Faretrius began to urgently demand from Seleucia that she drive me out of her house; Not having the strength to resist him any longer, she decided to leave me to the mercy of fate and, still hiding from me what was happening outside my home, she decided to send me away under the pretext of a barbarian raid. At midnight, according to her instructions, I was awakened by the presbyter Eusebius, who announced to me that the barbarians had arrived, that they were already close from here, and that he advised me to set off quickly rather than return to the city.” “So at midnight, in complete darkness, without a guide, exhausted by illness, barely alive, I set off with him along a narrow, rocky road. We had barely gone half a mile when my mule stumbled and fell, the stretcher fell down along with me, and I received such a strong blow that I almost died. However, getting up with difficulty, he continued to walk, holding on to Eusebius. I cannot describe to you all the inconveniences of my journey, the fear, the fatigue, the countless hardships that I had to endure, the dangers that I avoided. But thanks be to God for everything that happened; Remembering all this with special pleasure and turning over in my mind all the troubles of the path, I rejoice like a person possessing enormous wealth. And I beg you, venerable friend, to rejoice in my adventures and glorify God, who has deigned me to endure so much.”... The exile's journey was completed safely. God delivered him from the hands of the Isaurians; having passed through Bithynia, Phrygia, Galatia, Cappadocia, after 70 days of travel, he arrived in Kukuz in September of the same 404. No matter how painful this journey was, it nevertheless turned out to be more of a triumph for him than humiliation; all along the way, the people and clergy were in a hurry to show him their respect and zeal; in the same way he was received in Kukuza and settled in the house of the pious Dioscorus, who surrounded him with such attention to all his needs that St. Chrysostom often argued with him because he wanted to support him too luxuriously. He rested here among people who tried in every way to express their devotion to him, and even liked his health somewhat. He was also consoled by the arrival of his aunt, the venerable Saviniana, deaconess of Constantinople, to him in Eucus. An arbitrary exile, not hampered by her advanced years or the hardships of the journey for the sake of her devotion to her great relative, was also received in Kukuza with great honor and respect - and she alone had the chance to be a spectator of all his sorrows, exile and death in exile. John had much joy from his friends, who visited him even from distant places and brought him money and everything he needed, so that even here he could give himself the joy of sharing with his beloved poor people; While continuing his charity, he at the same time took advantage of every opportunity to teach the people, and also wrote essays and letters. Having learned from his Constantinople friend Paenius about everything that happened there after his departure, about the persecution to which he, among many, was subjected for his love for him, John wrote to him: “your letter filled my soul with holy joy and inexpressible consolation, not with the sad news that you told me, but because, having said all this, you add that in any case we must surrender to the will of God and say: glory God about everything! These words are a deadly arrow for the evil spirit; they establish peace and silence in the soul, strengthen it and dispel the dark clouds of sadness inspired by despondency. Yes, thank God for everything! Let us constantly repeat these words, and all the storms will subside, the clouds of sadness will dissipate, despondency will run away, and our merits will increase and the reward will be ours. Thank God for everything! These words were a shield and a sword for Job, which gave him victory over the devil; were a rainbow that announced peace to him, and finally adorned the patriarch with an immortal crown.” “Blessed are the bonds, blessed are the prisons that contain you! - John writes to the bishops, presbyters and all the faithful imprisoned for their adherence to him, - but you yourself, famous captives of the Lord, are a thousand times happier! You have attracted favor from all corners of the earth, wherever the rumor has reached about the amazing struggle that you have endured, about the invincible courage that you have shown! Neither the most varied executions, nor the rage of the accusers, nor the fear of a thousand deaths could shake you... Rejoice that your names are written in heaven among the holy martyrs! - I ask you, pray for me; Although I parted with you a long time ago and a great distance separates us, I still run around in my thoughts among you every day. It seems to me that I see you, I hear that I kiss you with a holy kiss and rejoice at the crowns that adorn your heads... Write to me, your letters constitute the greatest consolation for me in the place of my exile.” Friends of St. Chrysostom tried to change the place of his exile, but did not have time to do this. He, thanking them for their participation, asked them not to bother themselves with caring for him and remained with humility in the place where people had expelled him, but not without the will of God. However, he was not in Kukuza for long: at the end of 406, on the occasion of the Isaurian raid that devastated Armenia, he was transferred to the Arabis fortress on Mount Taurus; After his departure, Isavrian returned to Kukuz, where, due to an unusually harsh winter, his health again deteriorated. He suffered greatly, as can be seen from his letter to the Olympics: “I lived only to feel only misfortunes; I spent whole days nailed to my bed; I could not remove the damage that the cold caused me; I felt insomnia: the long sea - these sleepless nights that I spent "... and from a letter to my friend, Bishop Elpidius: "I do not have a permanent residence, I live sometimes in Kukuza, sometimes in the Arabis fortress, sometimes I hide among the hills and forests, sometimes I run away into caves and deserts. Everything here is in ruins and fire; many cities and their inhabitants perished; Tormented by fear, we must constantly change our lodgings for the night; every minute we can expect death. The fortress, which serves as a prison for me, is not a safe refuge, because it cannot defend itself against the attacks of the Isaurians.” In the midst of his own suffering, John’s heart did not deplete participation in the grief of others: “I take full part in your grief,” he consoled in writing one father who was grieving over the loss of his daughter, but I ask you, do not allow yourself to relax from intense sadness. No; Do not attribute the death of your beloved daughter to your sins. It was fruit already ripe for heaven, and you placed it in the safest place, in the hands of our Father. Be comforted, your daughter has entered the calm haven of endless life. Having escaped from the fury of the waves of real life, she is now far from all danger, standing on an immovable stone on which all her treasures are hidden. Reflecting on these comforting words, repeat them to the mother of this dear child and make up from them a saving medicine that can calm her sorrow; and you yourself, with complete submission to the will of God, endure the sorrow of its absence and bless the right hand of Him who sends us sorrows in order to increase our merits and rewards promised to meek and humble souls.” Regarding sorrows, in general, John wrote that “sorrows and deprivations cannot harm anyone, they are useful and even necessary. Life is a school of patience, a constant struggle, a flaming furnace,” but that “conscience is a stronghold against all undeserved disasters.” Meanwhile, the anger of John’s enemies did not subside; on the contrary, it was even more excited by the reverent attention and zeal towards him of his many followers, and they tried to finally restore Emperor Arcadius against him. “The peace of the Church,” they said, “cannot be restored until the exile is surrounded by his friends, and Kukuz and Arabissa will be a gathering place for them. These places are too close to Constantinople and Antioch,” and therefore they asked to transfer John to the most remote, wild and deserted places. The emperor agreed to these ideas and appointed St. for exile. Chrysostom is a little-known town of Pitiunt in Colchis, on the northern shore of the Black Sea - in the neighborhood of the Sarmatians, the most cruel people of all the Scythians. Calmly accepted the news of the new exile of St. Chrysostom: “my heart,” he wrote to Olympiad at that time, “finds the greatest consolation in suffering; my treasure is hidden in them.” And so, he undertook his last journey, accompanied by two officials, who were given orders to treat him as strictly as possible... And they carried out this order exactly, especially one of them, who had lost all sense of compassion, forced the sick exile to walk during the most intense heat and did not allow him to stop for rest even during storms and heavy rains, choosing for stops only such wild places and poor villages where it was impossible to either rest or get nourished. Thus John walked for three months to Coman, a small town in the province of Pontus, and his strength was exhausted. He was exhausted; however, the rude warriors forced him to go forward; barely moving, he walked another six miles, but, reaching one deserted place, where there was a church with the relics of St. Basilisk, Bishop of Comana, tortured during the persecution of Christians under Maximinus, John, barely alive, could not go further. Here, for the first time, they showed him leniency and allowed him to stay in the prayer room of the priest appointed for the sacred rite in the church in which the relics of St. Basilisk. The very next night, praying in the midst of his unbearable suffering, John was consoled by the joy of death - a vision in a dream of St. martyr, near whose relics he took refuge: “don’t be discouraged, brother John, tomorrow we will be together!” – the martyr who appeared cheered the exhausted one... However, his ordeal continued even longer... Having allowed him to spend the night here, his tormentors demanded the next day that he continue his journey. In vain he prayed to stay here for a few more hours; he was forced to walk further several miles; then he lost his last strength; then the guards were forced to return to the place from where they dragged the dying man on his final journey. Here, aware of his hour of death, St. Chrysostom began to prepare for the exodus; having taken off his clothes soaked in dirt and sweat, he put on clean underwear; distributed everything he had with him to those around him; partook of the Mysteries of the Saints and, pronouncing his usual appeal: glory to God for everything! - calmly surrendered his soul to God - September 14, 407 “At the news of his death,” says Palladius, “such a multitude of pious persons of every rank and age gathered from all sides that it seemed that by some miracle all the faithful from Cilicia, Pontus, Armenia and other regions were gathered in order to be present at the burial of St. Chrysostom... By the way, there were those who came from both Antioch and Constantinople. The remains of St. John was buried with all possible solemnity and placed near the relics of St. Martyr Basilisk. The whole Church mourned him, having lost in him one of the greatest saints, one of the most zealous defenders and disseminators of the holy faith. His enemies did not cease to be angry with the saint and persecuted him with slander even after death. But God’s terrible judgment took place on many of them during their lifetime, and gradually, especially when Eudoxia, Arkady and Patriarch Theophilus died, peace was established in the Church. After thirty years, the memory of the saint was publicly and solemnly restored... and he returned to Constantinople with such grandeur and solemnity that surpassed the humiliation of his exile. In 438, when St. Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the day of memory of St. Chrysostom, in his words of praise to him, said: “Oh, John! your life was difficult, but your death was glorious, your tomb was blessed and your reward was abundant according to the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, grace that overcomes boundaries, place and time! Love conquered the place, the limit was destroyed by unforgettable memory, and the miracles of the saint were not limited to the place. He lies in Pontus, but is boasted throughout the world!” then the people interrupted the speaker with exclamations and asked to transfer the relics of their precious Saint John to Constantinople. When, soon after, the found incorrupt remains of John Chrysostom were brought to the capital, then “the Orthodox people, when transporting them, with a multitude of ships made the sea as if it were dry land, and covered the mouth of the Bosphorus with lamps. The king with the sacred cathedral and synclite, with a gathering of numerous people, met St. relics in Chalcedon and performed reverent worship of them. Bowing his head on the saint’s tomb, Theodosius offered a prayer for his parents, Arkady and Eudoxia, and begged them to forgive the offense inflicted on him out of ignorance.” The relics of the saint were placed in Constantinople in the Church of the Apostles 232. “Like a royal decoration, the royal city receives the power of Chrysostom and is decorated with them! - sings the Holy Church, celebrating this event, - having been imprisoned from the herd by envy, but by the wave of God, Chrysostom returned to him after burial, issuing streams of miracles and shedding rivers of healing. The Church of Christ rejoices, looking at the sacred candlestick - at St. the holy martyr, who was deposed by his enemies, was hidden under a cover of silence. To the glory of the king, this day the reigning woman comes from Koman to the city.” “Thou hast received Divine grace from heaven,” praises St. John in general, the holy Church, - and with your lips you taught us all to worship the One God in the Trinity, John Chrysostom, all-blessed, reverent one, we worthily praise you; You are a mentor, as if you are the Divine One” (Kondak). “Thy lips, like the light of fire, shining with grace, enlighten the universe; not the love of money and the treasures of the world, showing us the height of humility; but punishing with your words, Father John Chrysostom, pray to the Word of Christ God to save our souls!” (Troparion). The repose of Saint John Chrysostom, which took place on September 13th, on the day of the Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the Church, for the sake of this day, celebrates instead on November 13th, - and the transfer of the relics of the saint - on that very day: January 27th. About the works of St. For John Chrysostom, see “Teaching about the Fathers of the Church,” § 172–177, and in “Histor. review of hymns” – Philar., Archbishop. Chernig. Among John's schoolmates, the more famous were later: Theodore - Bishop of Mopsuet, Maxim - Bishop of Seleucia of Isauria, and especially Basil, ordained Bishop of Raphane in Syria. “East. uch. About O. Ts.” Filar. Chernig. vol. II, p. 191, in remarks. On this occasion, John wrote a famous book on the priesthood, in which he most eloquently sets forth the height of the rank of the priesthood, both by origin and by his occupation, and says about himself that it was not without reason that he declined the rank of bishop, despite his relationship with his friend Vasily (“Teaching on the Fathers of the Church,” Philar. Chernigov. § 173). Last to Demetrius the monk, § 14. On Matt. conversations 69, p. 192. On the last to Tim. conversation 10. Ha 1 Cor. conversation 15, § 6. O overthrower. statues, conversation 1, § 3. Around 387, John wrote a book against the Jews and pagans, in which he revealed the Divine dignity of Christ. teachings and his attitude towards Judaism and paganism. Then he spoke six words against the Jews. See the life of St. Deaconess Olympics on July 25th. Christ. Thurs. 1833 Part 1, pp. 289–292. In Orthodox Church liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, in its main parts completely agreeing with that which was used in the days of Chrysostom in Constantinople, is performed almost throughout the whole year, excluding the day of memory of St. Basil the Great, the eve of the Nativity of Christ and the Epiphany of the Lord, unless they happen on Saturdays or Sundays, and also excluding the days of St. Lent, on which, according to the charter of the Church, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated. – In subsequent times, something was introduced into the liturgy of Chrysostom, but not much, and, moreover, not in the least violating the general order of the ancient liturgy. Palladia conversation. page 46. – Conversation 45. Conversation. Palladium p. 47 (according to Debolsky’s “Days of Divine Services,” part I, p. 445). Pallas. about the life of St. Zlat. pp. 47, 48. Zlat. Volume III, pp. 415–419. Christ. Thurs. 1821, part 4, p. 290. This was the bishop of Ancyra of Galata, one of John's enemies. An unworthy successor to the chair of St. Basil the Great, who was also on the side of the members of the Dub Cathedral against John. Currently, the relics of St. John Chrysostom - in Rome, in the Vatican Cathedral, and the chapter - in the Assumption. Cathedral, in Moscow.