Father John of Kronstadt

This publication was prepared for the 100th anniversary of the blessed death and the 180th anniversary of the birth of Saint Righteous John of Kronstadt Ioannovsky Stavropegic Convent Publishing House "Father's House" Moscow On the 100th anniversary of the blessed death and the 180th anniversary of the birth of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, we are pleased to offer our readers this wonderful book about the All-Russian shepherd, which includes his life, teachings, prophecies, eyewitness accounts of miracles and healings through the prayerful intercession of Father John. This work was first published in two volumes in Belgrade in 1938 (first volume) and 1941 (second volume). The author and compiler of the book is I.K. Sursky (pseudonym of Yakov Valerianovich Ilyashevich) was personally acquainted with Father John of Kronstadt, who visited his parents’ house in St. Petersburg. Sursky participated in the services performed by Father and witnessed his fervent, bold prayer before the Throne of God; he personally received miraculous help from the saint several times in difficult circumstances - both during the life of Father John and after his death. In the 20s of the last century, like many Russian people, Sursky was forced to leave his homeland and emigrated to Yugoslavia. Remaining devoted to his fatherland, his faith and the Church, being a deep admirer of Father John of Kronstadt, Sursky devoted his entire life to collecting reliable materials about his life and miracles that could serve to glorify the All-Russian shepherd. In his book, Sursky writes: “The wonderful and varied manifestations of the great power of God through Father John during the 53 years of his priestly service to God and suffering humanity are so numerous that it can be said without exaggeration that in every third Russian family they will tell you some case of miraculous help or insight of Father John... Yes, Father John, undoubtedly, is the most significant phenomenon not only in the Russian Church, but in the entire Orthodox Church, in total Slavism and all Christianity of our time. Therefore, it would be unforgivable if the contemporaries of Father John, who were living witnesses of the wondrous deeds of God manifested through him, did not take care to leave to humanity descriptions of the miraculous manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit that they experienced or saw.” And Sursky appeals to all Russian people to whom his voice could reach, with an appeal to send their testimonies about Father John of Kronstadt and with a request to provide financial assistance in the publication of the book. Without dwelling here on the difficult and disastrous circumstances in which Sursky’s two-volume work was born (for more details, see the Appendix), we note that it was created by the entire Russian world, responding from all over the globe. In the fact that this book was written and published, despite “the temptations, persecutions of Satan and the slander of people who did not know Father John,” Sursky saw the blessing of the All-Russian Prayer Book itself: “In such a difficult situation, I ... knelt before the portrait of Father John of Kronstadt and fervently prayed to him with tears. I told him: “You know that I no longer have money to finish printing the second volume, that the first volume consoled many, turned some away from the intention of suicide due to unbearable living conditions, attracted many to Christ, that many cried with emotion while reading and re-reading it; you know that the second volume is much stronger than the first and that it is needed not only for emigration, but also for Russians living in Russia - so give me the necessary funds to finish publications At the same time, I asked Father John to write and create this book for me, so that it would convert many to Orthodoxy both abroad and in Russia itself...” You see, dear readers of my book, that Father John heard and fulfilled my tearful prayer. He did it not for me, but so that all of you, Russian people, abroad and in Russia, would learn about the great deeds of God revealed through Father John, and glorify God and Father John.” And so, from the depths of the 19th century, which saw the birth and life of the Kronstadt shepherd, through the tragedy of the 20th century, this book, containing many new, unknown facts from the life of Father John, reached Orthodox readers in Russia, who in the 21st century are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the blessed death of the All-Russian Prayer Book and the 180th anniversary of his birth. We are glad that we have the opportunity to republish this work (for the first time with extensive notes, correcting some inaccuracies, and adding rich illustrative material), which has become a living precious testimony of the united prayerful sighing of Russian Orthodox people to God and His holy saint - the holy righteous John of Kronstadt.