My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.
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SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOMOS (THE GOLDEN-TONGUED), PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE. OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH COMMEMORATES HIM ON NOVEMBER 13TH.
He was born in Antioch in the year 347 A.D., his father's name being Secundus and his mother's Anthusa. Studying Greek philosophy, St. John became disgusted with Hellenic paganism and turned to the Christian faith as the one and all-embracing Truth. St. John was baptized by Meletius, Patriarch of Antioch, and, after that, his parents were also baptized. After their death, St. John became a monk and began to live in strict asceticism. He wrote a book: On the Priesthood, after which the Holy Apostles John and Peter appeared to him, prophesying for him great service, great grace and also great suffering. When the time came for him to be ordained Priest, an Angel of God appeared at the same time to Patriarch Flavian (Meletius's successor) and to St. John himself. When the Patriarch ordained him, a shining white dove was seen above St. John's head. Renowned for his wisdom, his asceticism and the power of his words, St. John was, at the desire of Emperor Arcadius, chosen as Patriarch of Constantinople. He governed the Church for six years as Patriarch with unequalled zeal and wisdom, sending missionaries to the pagan Celts and Scythians and purging the Church of simony, deposing many bishops who were given to this vice. He extended the Church's charitable works, wrote a rite for the Divine Liturgy, put heretics to shame, denounced the Empress Evdoxia, interpreted the Holy Scripture with his golden mind and tongue and left to the Church many precious books of sermons. The people glorified him; the jealous loathed him; the Empress twice had him sent into exile. He spent three years in exile, and died on Holy Cross Day, September 14th, 407 A.D., in a place called Comana in Armenia. The holy Apostles John and Peter again appeared to him at the time of his death, and also the holy martyr Vasiliskus (see May 22nd), in whose church he received Holy Communion for the last time, "Glory To God for Everything (All Things)! were his last words, and with them the soul of Saint John Chrysostomos the Patriarch of Constantinople entered into Paradise. Of his holy relics, the head is preserved in the Church of the Dormition (Koimisis) in Moscow, and the body in the Vatican in Rome. Some of his holy relics were given back to Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinope as a gesture of friendship by the Vatican. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)
(To be continued)
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DIVINE SERVICES TOMORROW, NOVEMBER 13TH AT SAINT ANDREW:
Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George