St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople
the golden trumpet of Orthodoxy
Commemorated on November 13
The mouth of a just man will meditate wisdom; and the meditation of my heart understanding.
Hymn of Praise
Saint John Chrysostom
The Church glorifies St. John
The “Golden-mouth,” blessed by God,
Christ’s great soldier,
Who is the adornment and boast of the Church:
Profound of heart and mind,
And a golden-stringed harp of words.
He plumbed the depths of mysteries,
And found the pearl that shines as the stars.
Exalted in mind to heaven’s height,
He expounded divine truth;
And his vision is true throughout history.
He gave all to the Son of God.
He revealed to us the horrors of sin,
And the virtues that adorn a man;
He showed us the most precious mysteries,
And all the sweet richness of Paradise.
Evangelist, interpreter of the Gospel
And bearer of spiritual joy,
Zealous for Christ like an apostle,
He would accept no injustice.
He was tormented like any martyr,
And received his torment as a pledge of salvation.
This servant of Christ showed himself true;
Therefore, the Church glorifies Chrysostom.
The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.com/2010/04/prologue-november-13-november-26.html
Sin makes man a coward; but a life in the Truth of Christ makes Him bold.
(St. John Chrysostom, On the Statues, VIII.2)
The Holy Scriptures lead us to God and open the path to the knowledge of God.
(St. John Chrysostom, Conversations on the Gospel of John, 59:2)
Of all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one, whether spiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy Scriptures.
(St. John Chrysostom, Conversations on the Book of Genesis, 29.1)
Just as those who are deprived of light cannot walk straight, so also those who do not behold the ray of the Holy Scriptures must necessarily sin, since they walk in the deepest darkness.
(St. John Chrysostom, Conversations on the Epistle to the Romans, 0.1)
“Fathers and mothers: Go and lead your child by the hand into the church.”
“With us everything should be secondary compared to our concern with children, and their upbringing in the instruction and teaching of the Lord.”
“The primary goal in the education of children is to teach, and to give examples of a virtuous life.”
“Let everything take second place to our care of our children, our bringing them up to the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning we teach them to love true wisdom, they will have great wealth and glory than riches can provide. If a child learns a trade, or is highly educated for a lucrative profession, all this is nothing compared to the art of detachment from riches; if you want to make your child rich, teach him this. He is truly rich who does not desire great possessions, or surround himself with wealth, but who requires nothing…Don’t think that only monks need to learn the Bible; Children about to go our into the world stand in greater need of Scriptural knowledge.” St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 21
Saint Justin Popovich of Chelije God hears and fulfills the prayer of a man who fulfills His commandments. “Hear God in His commandments,” says St. John Chrysostom, “So that He might hear you in your prayers.” A man who keeps the commandments of God is always wise, patient, and sincere in his prayers. Mystery of prayer consists in the keeping of God’s commandments.
We sin if we consider it a duty to also hate those whom our relatives hate. This hatred passes on to us like a family sickness. In adopting the love of our relatives, we also adopt their hatreds. Sometimes even the great spiritual giants succumbed to that weakeness. Patriarch Theophilus disliked St. John Chrysostom and remained his bitter enemy even until death. Saint Cyril, his kinsman and successor to the throne of Alexandria, inherited that hatred against Chrysostom the saint and, for a long time, bore this hatred within himself. In vain did Saint Isidore of Pelusium advise Cyril to change his opinion about Chrysostom and to enter his name in the Diptych of the Saints but Cyril could not change his evil will. Then the All-Holy Birth-giver of God, for whose glory and honor Cyril fought so much against Nestorius, appeared to Cyril in a vision with a multitude of angels and with John Chyrsostom in great glory. The Holy and All-Pure One begged Chrysostom to forgive Cyril. Then Chrysostom approached Cyril, they embraced and kissed one another. This vision completely changed the feelings of Cyril toward Chrysostom and Cyril repented with shame because he unreasonably hated Chrysostom. That is why to his death Cyril did everything in order to highly praise Chrysostom as a great saint of God.
The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints- June 9 by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
***
The ear of Saint John Chrysostom at which Saint Paul spoke
Saint John Chrysostom was renowned for his explanations of the Holy Scriptures. He also interpreted the Epistles of Saint Paul, whom he admired greatly. In order to assure himself that the interpretation of the Epistles were correct, he asked God to offer him a sign.
At that same time, a nobleman had risen against Emperor Arcadius. The Emperor, in turn, confiscated all of the man’s possessions and threatened to execute him. The nobleman became desperate and decided to ask for Saint John’s assistance. When he arrived at the Patriarchate, Saint John could not offer him an audience immediately, but instructed him to return that evening. Saint John told the assistant priest, Proclos (who later succeeded Saint John as Patriarch), to show the nobleman to the Saint’s room when he arrived. That evening, the nobleman returned and Proclos went to inform the Patriarch of his arrival. The door to the room was shut, so – because Proclos heard voices inside – he looked through the keyhole. He saw Saint John sitting at his desk writing, with a bald-headed man, slightly bent, looking and speaking to Saint over his shoulder. Seeing this, Proclos returned to the nobleman and told him that the Patriarch was in conference. Proclos returned to the Patriarch’s room several times during the night, but the man was still talking with John. Thus the nobleman waited the entire night to see Saint John but without success.
That morning the nobleman returned to the Patriarchate since it was of the utmost importance for him to see the Patriach. Proclos went again to inform John of the nobleman’s arrival, but again saw the same man in the Patriarch’s room. John looked extremely interested in what the man was telling him. Proclos was bewildered on how the man was entering, since everyone had to come by him.
The nobleman returned for the fourth time and Proclos assured him that the Patriarch was alone, for he had made certain that no one passed without his knowledge. When Proclos went to the Patriarch’s room, he was shocked to find the same man still there. He returned to the nobleman and told him to go to his home for it was impossible for him to see John.
That day, the Saint had remembered the nobleman and inquired about him. Proclos told John that the man had come three times, but each time, the Patriarch was busy talking to the same man. John asked Proclos whom he had seen in the room. Proclos told him that it looked as if it were the Apostle Paul, whose icon sat on the Saint’s desk. Joyously, Saint John realized that this was the sign he had asked for from God concerning his interpretations of the Apostle’s epistles.
After conferring with the nobleman, the Patriarch agreed to act as mediator between the nobleman and the Emperor. Within a short time, the differences were settled and the nobleman was again granted his confiscated property.
The holy skull of Saint John Chrysostom has one ear – the ear at which Saint Paul spoke – incorrupt after more than 1600 years while the other ear is decomposed according with the law of the nature.
St. Apostle Paul in the life of the St. John Chrysostom and Saint Niphon Bishop of Constantiane, in Algeria
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2020/06/28/st-apostle-paul-in-the-life-of-the-st-john-chrysostom-and-saint-niphon-bishop-of-constantiane-in-algeria/
The Heavenly Glory of St. John Chrysostom
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/the-heavenly-glory-of-st-john-chrysostom/
Apolytikion of Relics of John Chrysostom in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
The grace of your words illuminated the universe like a shining beacon. It amassed treasures of munificence in the world. It demonstrated the greatness of humility, teaching us by your own words; therefore, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede to Christ the Logos for the salvation of our souls.
At the Aposticha, Prosomia in the Plagal of the First Tone. Hail of Ascetics.
Hail instrument of the Church, lovely and gleaming like gold; the tongue which with love for mankind traced out for us the many-sided ways of repentance; mind formed of gold; golden-mouthed swallow; dove, whose pinions, as the Psalmist says, are shining like gold with the golden pallor of virtues; stream like gold, pouring out waters; godlike mouth and entrusted with love for mankind: entreat Christ to send down to our souls his great mercy.
Verse: My mouth will speak wisdom; and his tongue will speak judgement.
Hail Father of orphans; sure help of the wronged; provision for the poor; righting of sinners; most skilled and revered physician of souls; lofty precision of theology; clarity of the Scriptures of the Spirit; most effective law; straightest rule; contemplation and action, the summits of wisdom. entreat Christ to send down to our souls his great mercy.
Prosomoia of the Praises in Tone 4. You have given as a sign.
You have become a sun with many lights, irradiating the inhabited world by your words, dazzling star, brightly shining lamp, torch that ever summons those who are storm-tossed by the worldly sea to the calm haven of salvation by grace, O Golden-worded, Golden-mouthed, intercessor for our souls.
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