It was an experience that is very hard to explain.We planned our trip over Easter weekend.Being Orthodox, it is not unusual to spend the entire Easter weekend attending different services.We went to services on Great Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter.The service were in old Slavonic and Russian. Aren't you the one who polluted the angelic habit? But, as it says in the Psalm, 'In that day all their thoughts shall perish' (Psalm 145:5). And now, with the publication of Blessed John the Wonderworker and other books and articles about him in the Russian language, the people of Russia are beginning to know, too, and have already experienced healings through his prayers, as the following accounts testify. How can St. John Maximovitch intercede for us? In addition to these we must have annual Memorials in remembrance of the deceased. FROM APOSTOLIC TIMES and to our days all who truly love Christ give veneration to Her Who gave birth to Him, raised Him and protected Him in the days of His youth. You can also read about many of his miracles and responses to his letters here. (Pray one Our Father . A parishioner of our church, Sts Constantine & Elena, Indianapolis, MO, gave us holy oil from Saint John and I anointed my husband every day with fervent prayers to Saint John to intercede for us. In fact, the holy angelic powers enumerate to the evil spirits the good acts of the soul that were done by word, deed, thought and imagination. , . Let's just say I feel happier when I give it my best effort.Glory to God for all things!Holy Father John, pray to God for us.EvgeniaCalifornia, Help during deliveryReceived September 23, 2011, My sister was induced to start labor on July 2nd, 2011. Then a man leaves all his earthly cares; the body disintegrates, in order to rise anew at the General Resurrection. Another day later I got a call from the hiring manager and eventually got the job. One night, I was browsing the internet, about a particular church. St. Macarius Of Alexandria (having received the teaching not from men but from an angel) explains: "When an offering (i.e., the Eucharist) is made in Church on the third day, the soul of the departed receives from its guardian angel relief from the sorrow it feels as a result of the separation from the body. In the pure life that thou hast led during our sinful times, we see a model of virtue, a source of instruction and inspiration. She still struggles with mental health, but she has remained clean and continues growing in her spiritual life. Maximovitch was a patriot of his fatherland and was profoundly disappointed by what he saw as human weakness and impermanence during the tragic events of the 1917 Revolution. Evangelos, Vancouver, BC, Finding a place to liveReceived February 26, 2014. Look down at the humility of our words, which we offer out of love" for thee, and help us, O saint of God, to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, so that we may labor for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling. St. John Chrysostom, describing the hour of death, teaches: St. Isaiah The Recluse (6th century) teaches that Christians should. KONTAKION IChosen wonderworker and pleaser of Christ, who pourest forth inexhaustible streams of inspiration and a multitude of miracles upon the whole world, we praise thee with love and call out to thee: Rejoice, O holy hierarch, Father John, speedy helper amid misfortunes! Some time later, the cough stopped and the boy quietly slept until morning. During the end of World War II, when communist power was beginning to affect China, he helped around 5,000 refugees escape to an island in the Philippines, then traveled to Washington D.C. to help amend the law to allow refugees into the United States. Thou shouldst truly be praised from the heavens, and not from earth, O father John, for our words are feeble beside thy deeds. He answered two very importent questions for me that will impact my life and that of my family forever.Wayne M.Knee healed fastReceived September 28, 2014I had knee surgery to re-attach my patellar tendon. According to St. John, even the souls of innocent infants must pass through these toll-houses, for the all-evil devil seeks to snatch their souls, too. A few years ago we lived in San Francisco and that's where I first heard about St. John. But it is quite possible that the demons, instead of something frightful, might present something seductive. But especially beneficial for them is commemoration at the Divine Liturgy. The doctors insisted on surgery, but when she came to the hospital for observation, the doctors and the sick woman herself were amazed: the swelling had disappeared and there remained only a scar. Several months passed, we tried conservative therapy, but there were no improvements. She was able to pull his head out but couldn't pull any further because the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck, twice. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). OIKOS XThou art a wall sheltering us from adversity, O father John, for through thy heavenly intercessions are we delivered from the attacks of demonic passions and from afflictions which beset us on earth. Last year I found out that I was pregnant and I was so happy but also very scared. Saint John is known for his healing powers. Get down. And so we also, marveling, cry out in awe:Rejoice, enlightener of those in the darkness of unbelief.Rejoice, thou who didst lead thy people from the Far East to the West.Rejoice, fountain of miracles poured forth by God.Rejoice, loving chastiser of those who have gone astray.Rejoice, swift consoler of those who repent of their sins.Rejoice, guide of those who walk the straight path.Rejoice, O holy hierarch, Father John, speedy helper amid misfortunes! In addition to this, when Savas John was born he was in the NICU at the hospital, for several days due to a blood condition. People in America, Europe, and the other places of his pastoral labors have long known of the power of his heavenly intercessions. The Holy Hierarch John Maximovitch was born in the Kharkov region in 1896, and reposed in Seattle in 1966. Those who knew him have described him as "a living source of God's wonders," "the embodiment of all Christian virtues," "a miracle of ascetic firmness," "a model archpastor," who had the gift of being able "to see into the human heart and draw it to Christ." Neither have the first yet received the inheritance of the Kingdom and those good things 'which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man' (1 Cor 2:9); nor have the second part yet been given over to eternal torments nor to burning in the unquenchable fire. Let us hold @shinnewn in prayer for continued healing, @neecygrace as she continues in her new faith commitment and @RevDaniel that he might continue to end on time. Thus, even after thy repose, thou dost reveal the Truth to those ignorant thereof, illumining the souls of the faithful, who cry out to thee such things as these:Rejoice, thou who with divine wisdom dost enlighten those who languish in unbelief.Rejoice, rainbow of quiet joys for the meek. Significantly, all of this testimony is confirmed by the liturgical prayers of the Church. Throughout his life he was revered as a strict ascetic, a devoted man of prayer, and a truly wondrous unmercenary healer of all manner of afflictions and woes. Basil The Great (4th century) explains it this way: "Let no one deceive you with empty words; for destruction will come suddenly upon you; it will come like a storm. 2022. She began to treat him with various medications. He went through his schooling and earned a law degree at the University of Belgrade. ! OIKOS IAn angel in the flesh wast thou manifested in these latter times by the grace of God Who ever careth for men. I know for sure that every woman who has not yet had children and who truly believes in intercession of St. John to God can live the happiness that I and my husband live now.Georgiana Zaharia. She anointed the ailing spot several times by making the Sign of the Cross. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before. The content on this page is under copyright and is used by permission. In 1934 he was made Bishop of Shanghai, where he served until the . ", St. Theophan, in writing to the brother of a dying woman, says: "Your sister will not die; the body dies, but the personality of the dying one remains. Saint John helped me 8 years ago with my home baby delivery bill. After a week, she was again at services and stood weeping. An early Church catchiest, referring to custom officials who collected taxes, relays to us the common Church teaching: This view is upheld by our great Father, St. By the time we got home the headaches were in full force again. , . It was tragic for us. The job duties were very close to the dream job I had imagined for a second. Use your money not for outward adornment of the coffin and grave, but in order to help those in need, in memory of your close ones who have died, for churches, where prayers for them are offered. They seek whether people might have some of their goods. * Hence, thy name is glorified throughout the East and West, * for thou didst shine forth with the grace * of the Sun of Righteousness, O John, our beloved shepherd. She had no intention of remaining clean upon entry but through God's mercy a series of errors kept her long enough to truly feel and appreciate sobriety. Beseech the most compassionate God, that He grant us forgiveness of sins, that we may come wakefully to our senses, and cry out to God, asking that we be given the spirit of humility, the fear of God and piety in all the ways of our life. We are a family from Iasi, Romania, married four years ago. Within a week we found 2 contractors that completed the work for only $1200!!! They had all the details and even pictures. I have searched for so many years to find the records in order to know from where I come. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. My husband and I were getting discouraged by the search but deep in my heart I knew we would find a place that we needed. Having prayed, she came over to her sleeping son, crossed him and turned him on the other side. II, No. How can each of our college degrees help our mission as Orthodox Christians? At the end of the Moleben, I anointed all communicants with the oil of St. John Maximovitch. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. It is an extensive collection of writings, and much of it is beyond the focus of this limited study. Giving thanks to God for thine apostolic labors we cry out to Him: Alleluia! O how you will be troubled at the hour of death for yourself! [1] But his soul continues to live. St. John, Pray to God for us, sinners!Vera M. in PA. Grace from God's MercyReceived on August 8, 2011In April 2008, Holy Father John healed me by his prayers, through a dream, taking me to His sepulchre, and removing grief from my mind and heart. And it's true : we have the most beautiful girl in the world and sometimes I feel it is a dream and not the reality. The soul is our very existence, the center of all our energies and our thoughts. This video shows you the interior of the Cathedral where lie the incorrupt relics of Saint John. What is Orthodox Christianity? She tried all the usual medical procedures and pumped him with oxygen, but nothing was working even after several minutes. Child healed of viral infectionReceived on July 24, 2011. The pain was growing in force until she could no longer suffer it and needed to get me up to give her a pain pill and take her to the doctor. I put holy oil from St. John's lamp on the skin all around my eye and eyelid and prayed very hard. OIKOS VIShining forth in thy righteousness, thou didst do the impossible and persuade the authorities of this world to have pity on thy flock, O good shepherd. Glory to God, His Mother, Virgin Mary and His Saint John! But what he did against virtue or against his evil passions, he remembers and none of this is lost. Amen.Katerina Bennett, A daughter's headacheReceived on October 20, 2011. After venerating St. John's incorupt relics at Holy Virgin Mary Joy of All Who Sorrow, and placing the names "birth mother" and "Birth father" on the prayer sheets, I received a call from an agency I had contacted with my information. Also I was pregnant in first and second year after we married and I lost both babies at 8 and 10 weeks. This is why the holy angles of God who met and received us rejoiced, the righteous greeted us with joy and the saints with delight said, 'Welcome, the lambs of Christ!'". ", St. Macarius Of Egypt writes of this: "When you hear that there are rivers of dragons and mouths of lions (cf. KONTAKION IVOverwhelmed by the tempest of perils, we know not how to praise thee worthily, O Hierarch John. Shortly thereafter, she requested that I take her to a detox center (she confided that she was addicted to heroin). I was adopted at birth and never knew my birth family. His father Maxim Vasil'evich and mother Euphrosyn had seven sons, of which John was the eldest. God glorifies His saints! The souls of the dead do not lose their consciousness, they do not even lose their dispositions -- that is, hope and fear, joy and grief, and something of that which they expect for themselves at the Universal Judgment they begin already to foretaste.". In 1921, during the Russian Civil War, his family fled to Belgrade, joining the ranks of Russian exiles in Serbia, where he later became a monk and was ordained priest. OIKOS VAll who have trusted in thy help in desperate circumstances and adversities have found deliverance, O bold intercessor, before the Throne of God. Rejoice O holy Hierarch John, wonderworker of the latter times. It was during a trip to Seattle, Washington in 1966 that Archbishop John reposed, and his incorrupt relics now rest in the new Joy of All Who Sorrow cathedral in San Francisco. When, during the course of life, the passions have been banished from the heart and the virtues opposed to them have been planted, then no matter what seductive thing you might present, the soul, having no kind of sympathy for it, passes by it, turning away from it with disgust. Copyright Orthodox Christian Fellowship all Rights Reserved. ", St. John Cassian (5th century) likewise teaches: "Souls after the separation from this body are not idle, do not remain without consciousness; this is proved by the Gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:22-28). Therefore, it is very doubtful that a soul, as long as there remain in it sympathies for the objects of any passion, will not be put to shame at the toll-houses. . 5 . ( ) , , . , , . Speaking about the courageous athletes of the faith, he teaches that they too will be scrutinized by the "revenue officials," that is, by the evil spirits. Therefore, at the next church service, Olga wept from gratitude and was too emotional to tell us by herself. OIKOS IXOrators find it impossible to describe thy life of sanctity with their many and eloquent words, O righteous father John, for thou didst become a living dwelling-place for the grace of the ineffable God. Child was healthy. But the soul senses the prayers offered for it and is grateful to those who make them and is spiritually close to them. It is rather we that have fallen from Him, and so must regain the likeness of Divinity as thou hast done. The virtuous soul is surrounded by bright angels of light, while the sinful soul is surrounded by dark and evil beings, that is, the demons. The completely opposite happens with those who have repented: for near the holy servants of God there are now angels and good spirits standing by, surrounding and protecting them, and when they depart from the body, the choir of angels receive their souls to themselves, to the pure aeon. He grew up in a very pious family, so he was always very close to the Church. Keep praying for us sinners. [8]. In three weeks I found out I was pregnant! Your support helps us further the vital ministry work. As college students, how can we emulate his passion and surrender to Gods will? For the course of two days the soul enjoys relative freedom and can visit places on earth which were dear to it, but on the third day it moves into other spheres. The Archdiocese responds to the spiritual needs of the Greek Orthodox Christian Faithful through National Ministries, providing programs and services to your local parishes, Metropolises, and you. It is not she whom they will put in the grave. My wife reminded me of the oil of St. John and I pulled it off the shelf and anointed our son three times on the forehead, asking St. John to help us. This is love!". The mother began to pray, asking help from St. John, that he would heal her son. Our Patron Saint A longer biography can be found [here.] Later in 1946, he was named the Archbishop of China. Our priest told him we were coming there and why. Amen. When we moved back to Moscow, Russia we rented a small apartment near our kids' school. Please continue to pray to God for us!Dn. On the third day, He Who Himself rose from the dead on the third day, commands the Christian soul, in imitation of His Resurrection, to ascend to the Heavens to worship the God of all. The next day I got a call from our real estate agent and she said that there is a great newly renovated apartment in our price range. My sister felt good after labor and delivery, as well. Thereafter he ministered in Europe, serving as Bishop first in Paris then in Brussels, until he became Archbishop of San Francisco in 1962. And in this too, there is much uproar and great and indescribable turbulence as to who shall take that wretched soul. A grim angel (i.e., a demon) will come to take and drag violently the soul that has been tied to sins; and your soul will turn toward here and will suffer silently, having already been excluded from the organ of mourning (the body). In addition to these Memorials, our holy Church has ordained that the Sabbath (Saturday) be a day of commemoration of the Holy Martyrs and of all the deceased. Glory to God! Alter Holy Communion, Alga had been anointed with the oil of St. John. Having read the book on the healings and life of St. John of San Francisco (Blessed John the Wonderworker), she came to me after church services and asked for oil from the lampada in the sepulchre of Archbishop John, as her daughter was seriously sick. : - , . She turned to doctors but they simply shrugged their shoulders and could say nothing concrete. Archbishop John's abundant miracles both before and after his death testify to his love for the people. Terrible indeed is the third day for the soul of the departed, and for this reason it especially needs prayers then for itself. Saint Nino Orthodox Church - Stillwater, OK, Orthodox Church in Stillwater and Enid - Oklahoma. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. These cookies do not store any personal information. KONTAKION XIII0 all-radiant and most wondrous God-pleaser, holy hierarch John (x3), consolation for all who sorrow, accept this, our offering of prayer, that through thy prayers to our Lord we may be delivered from fiery Gehenna and by thy God-pleasing intercession we may chant forever unto God: Alleluia! In August 2008 I went on business to San Francisco and took holy oil from the lampada in the sepulchre of Archbishop John. Your body will die, but you will over to a different world, being alive, remembering yourself and recognizing the whole world that surrounds you.". The soul moves and gives life to the body. Michael Maximovitch, the future Archbishop John, was born on June 4, 1896, in the village of Adamovka in the province of Kharkov in southern Russia. Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request. It was not happening due to my health issues, and doctors said they were not sure if it would happen at all, and recommended to do IVF or adopt. After living there for a few years the landlord said he didn't want to rent it out anymore and we needed to find another place and fast. Yugoslavia [ edit] His family sought refuge in Yugoslavia and brought him to Belgrade in 1921. . St. John Maximovitch was called to fearlessly travel across the world in order to build churches and orphanages. Saint John Maximovitch, pray to Christ our God for the Holy Orthodox Church, for the world, and for us all. glorified in Imperial Russia, St. John of Tobolsk was the distant ancestor, heav-enly patron, model, and guide of the newly-revealed Saint John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, the Wonder-worker. St. John Chrysostom likewise calls demons "revenue officials" who threaten us and who are "overbearing powers with a fearful countenance that horrifies the soul that looks upon them. Preserve us, that we too may abide in this Faith, who cry out to thee:Rejoice, thou who wast a new Martin by thy miracles and ascetic feats.Rejoice, thou who wast a new Germanus by thy confession of the Orthodox faith.Rejoice, thou who wast a new Hilary by thy divine theology.Rejoice, thou who wast a new Gregory by thy love and glorification of God's saints.Rejoice, thou who wast a new Faustus by thy monastic fervor.Rejoice, thou who wast a new Caesarius by thy steadfast love for the canons of the Church of God.Rejoice, O holy hierarch, Father John, speedy helper amid misfortunes! But the virtuous soul goes about those places in which it was wont to do good deeds. Thank you Saint John Maximovich for not forgetting your flock,us the sinners,and as promised I am telling others about you as you have requested dear Saint and please do not forget us in your prayers and take care of my mother as in our prayers.Cristian SHamilton, Ontario, Canada, St. John's intercessionReceived May 30, 2012, Something was not right with my grown daughter for several years, she was difficult, unhappy, unpredictable. As thou once didst hear the mental petitions of thy far-scattered flock even before they could speak to thee, so now hear our prayers and bring them before the Lord. , , . . 4 , , , . . . . ! ! In thee we see the living likeness of our Maker, the living spirit of the Gospel, and the foundation of our Faith. St. ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, in his famous life of St. Antony, describes the following: In their accusation the demons uttered many brazen lies; but since their slanders were wanting in proof, a free path opened for Antony. I had Unction served over the daughter and later gave her cotton saturated with oil from Archbishop Johns lampada. However, the infants make the following confession (according to St. John): "We have passed by the evil spirits without suffering any harm. Rejoice, closet wherein Your holy labor of prayer was hidden. There were many lesions on her skin, particularly on the face, and doctors said conservative treatment was very unlikely to be successful. I've visited St. John's relics in San Francisco twice in 2011.The healing of my soul and body started when I first stepped into church and still continues today. In a little over a week even that was gone. According to various revelations there are twenty such obstacles, the so-called "toll-houses," at each of which one or another form of sin is tested; after passing through one the soul comes upon the next one, and only after successfully passing through all of them can the soul continue its path without being immediately cast into gehenna. Eph 6:12), the writings of all the Church Fathers (both ancient and modern) and throughout the prayers of the Church. He reads the letters and is said to respond to every one in one way or another. Included in this section are the historical accounts of those Saints who labored for the Church here in North America. Basil. I felt unworthy to approach the relics of Saint John and stood by the candles next to the shrine. Our 4 week old son Savas John who has had many health problems since he was born, just developed an eye infection. And this is shown by the words of the great Macarius the Egyptian ascetic who, finding a skull in the desert, was instructed by it concerning this by the action of Divine Power. For the dark custom officials saw our spotless body and were put to shame; they saw the soul good and pure and were embarrassed; they say the tongue immaculate and pure and blameless and they were silenced; we passed by and humiliated them. Usually it inclines toward those which are more akin to it in spirit, and if while in the body it was under the influence of certain ones, it will remain in dependence upon them when it leaves the body, however unpleasant they may turn out to be upon encountering them. [4], Then, having successfully passed through the toll-houses and bowed down before God, the soul for the course of 37 more days visits the heavenly habitations and the abysses of hell, not knowing yet where it will remain, and only on the fortieth day is its place appointed until the resurrection of the dead. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. St. John Of Damascus adds: "the Apostles who speak for God and the spirit-bearing Fathers have decreed this with inspiration and in a manner pleasing to God.". I ran it under cold water for an hour and prayed. OIKOS IIIThou shouldst truly be praised from the heavens, and not from earth, O father John, for our words are feeble beside thy deeds. Do for them what is needful for them and within your power. PRAYER to our Holy and God-bearing Father Hierarch John Maximovitch the New, Wonderworker of Shanghai and Western America. Yet offering to God what we have, we cry out to thee thus: Rejoice, thou who didst protect thy children by thine unceasing prayer! . While tossing and turning she spotted a bottle of holy oil from the relics of St. John of San Francisco on her night stand.
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