TROPAR, voice 5.
Your concern for the flock in her wandering, / this is the prototype of your prayers, for the whole world ever exalted: / so we believe, having come to know your love, Saint and miracle worker John! / Everything from God is consecrated by the sacred rite of the most pure Mysteries, / we always strengthen with the image, / you hastened to the suffering, the most delightful healer. / Hurry now to help us, who honor thee with all our hearts.
Saint John (Mikhail Borisovich Maksimovich; 1896-1966), an amazing saint - a prayer book, seer, blessed miracle worker, preacher, theologian. Saint John was one of the twentieth century apostles who preserved the Russian Church in the diaspora.
From childhood, little Misha was distinguished by deep religiosity, at night he stood for a long time in prayer, diligently collected icons, as well as church books. Most of all he loved to read the lives of the saints. Michael fell in love with the saints with all his heart, was saturated with their spirit to the end, and began to live like them. The child's holy and righteous life made a deep impression on his French Catholic governess, and as a result she converted to Orthodoxy.
By the will of his parents, - with their opinion he seriously considered all his life, - before the spiritual, he received a secular education: in the Poltava Cadet Corps, and then - at Kharkov University. While studying at the university, as a student of the Faculty of Law, he attracted the attention of Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who took him under his spiritual nourishment.
After the revolution in the Russian Empire and the beginning of the persecution of the Church, Mikhail left the country with his family and entered the theological faculty in Belgrade at the university. At this time, he was very poor, earning a living selling newspapers. A little later, he took monastic vows with the name John, as it is believed - in honor of his famous progenitor St. John (Maksimovich) Tobolsk. After graduation, he was a teacher of the law at a gymnasium in the city of Velikaya Kikinda. Then (until 1929), teacher and educator at the Theological Seminary in the city of Bitola. Bishop Nicholas of Serbia (Velimirovich), addressing the seminarians, said about John Maksimovich: “Children, listen to Father John; he is an angel of God in human form. "
Like many Russian émigrés, he greatly respected the king of Yugoslavia, Alexander I Karageorgievich, who patronized refugees from Russia. Many years later, he served a requiem for him at the scene of his murder on one of the streets of Marseille. Other Orthodox clerics, out of false shame, refused to serve on the street with Vladyka. Then Vladyka John took a broom, laid the bishop's eagles on a swept-out section of the sidewalk, lit a censer, and served a requiem in French.
The modesty of Hieromonk John was such that when, in 1934, Metropolitan Anthony decided to elevate him to the rank of bishop, he thought that he had been summoned to Belgrade by mistake, confusing it with someone else, and when it turned out that the letter was intended for him, he tried to refuse from dignity, referring to problems with diction. But Vladyka Anthony did not in the least doubt his choice, and, directing him to the East, he wrote to the ruling bishop: “... as my own soul, as my heart, I send you Bishop John. This small frail person, almost a child in appearance, is in fact a mirror of ascetic firmness and severity in our time of universal spiritual relaxation "
So he ended up in Shanghai, where he served for almost twenty years. In 1946, Vladyka John was elevated to the rank of archbishop. All the Russians who lived in China were under his care.
With the arrival of the communists, Vladyka organized the evacuation of his flock to the Philippines, and from there to America. His diligence also deserves mention: he applied for permission to enter the States for Russian refugees literally by "attack", day and night on duty at the doors of offices, patiently waiting for the reception of officials. At the same time, an orphanage founded by him was evacuated from Shanghai to the West, through which a total of 3,500 children passed.
In 1951, Vladyka John was appointed ruling bishop of the Western European Exarchate of the Russian Church Abroad.
In his first sermon in Paris, Vladyka John addressed the flock as follows: "By the will of God, Russian Orthodox people are now scattered all over the world, and thanks to this, Orthodoxy is now preached and church life exists where Orthodoxy was not previously known." What have these years been filled with? - He was responsible for managing the Russian Church Abroad and helping Orthodox churches in France and the Netherlands. In those years, Vladyka John did an enormous job of establishing canonical grounds for veneration in Orthodoxy of ancient Western saints who lived before the separation of the Catholic Church, but were not included in Orthodox calendars: he collected information, certificates of help, icons. At the same time, he served, as before (For many years, he had a rule to serve the Liturgy every day, and if there was no opportunity, to receive the Holy Gifts.)
Vladyka John also explained: “It may be said that Christianity has long been preached all over the earth, but it is predominantly preached in the form of certain deviations from the true teaching. Pure and upright Christian teaching has survived only in Orthodoxy, and now it is preached now where it was not known. We are scattered all over the world not only to teach and correct ourselves, but also to fulfill the will of God to preach Orthodoxy to the whole world. " The Lesninsky Monastery, which had moved to France by that time, once founded with the blessing of two great elders, St. Ambrose of Optina and St. Right. John of Kronstadt.
Vladyka was honored by the Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants. In one of the Catholic churches in Paris, a local priest told the flock: “You demand proof, you say that now there are no miracles or saints. Why should I give you theoretical proofs when St. John the Boss is walking the streets of Paris today. "
On December 25, 1961, Saint John (Maksimovich), together with Bishop Anthony of Geneva, consecrated the Temple of All Saints Who Shone forth in the Land of Russia, which became a cathedral in the Western European Diocese of ROCOR. It also housed the residence of Archbishop John until his transfer to the San Francisco See in 1963. The temple was painted by the artists of the Parisian Society "Icon". Now on the second floor of the mansion there are memorial chambers of the saint.
And in his declining years a new church "obedience" awaited him. At the request of thousands of Russians who knew Vladyka from Shanghai, he was transferred to the largest cathedral parish of the Russian Church Abroad, in San Francisco. But it was not easy for Vladyka. He had to meekly and silently endure a lot. He was even forced to appear in a public court, which was a flagrant violation of church canons, demanding an answer to the absurd accusation of concealing dishonest financial transactions of the parish council.
True, all those brought to justice were ultimately acquitted, but the last years of Vladyka's life were darkened by bitterness from reproaches and persecutions, which he always endured without complaints or condemnation of anyone. The death of Archbishop John was also surprising. On that day, July 2, 1966, he accompanied the miraculous Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God to Seattle, and stopped at the local Nicholas Cathedral - a memorial church to the New Martyrs of Russia. After serving the Divine Liturgy, Vladyka remained for three more hours alone in the altar. Then, having visited with the miraculous icon the spiritual children who lived not far from the cathedral, he followed to the room of the church house, where he usually stayed. Suddenly a roar was heard, and those who came running saw that Vladyka had fallen and was already moving away. They put him in a chair, and in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God he gave up his soul to God, fell asleep for this world, which he had so clearly predicted to many.
An unquenchable lamp is maintained at the relics of Archbishop John in San Francisco, and many candles are burning. Now Vladyka John stands before the Lord for his Orthodox Church and for peace already in the Heavenly Church Triumphant.
In 2008, by the definition of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco was glorified in the face of the Church-wide saints, his name was included in the Months of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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Saint John of Shanghai became known to a greater extent after his death and from a priest close to him. Thousands of people in the world know about him as a great righteous man, while in his homeland little is known about him.
Often during his lifetime, he turned his prayers to the Lord for those who needed his help and intercession. He was of the opinion that everyone is equal before God. John of Shanghai strictly adhered to all the requirements of the canonical rules. There were cases when people converted to Orthodoxy.
The life of John of Shanghai and San Francisco was distinguished by a certain asceticism. Those who bumped into him during his lifetime described him as a stooped man with loose dark gray hair that reached his shoulders. It was also noted that he had a speech impediment and was limping.
The life of this person is quite interesting and carries many unusual cases:
We know that many saints were famous for their miracles. Also, John the Wonderworker of Shanghai was famous for his miracles, which continue after his death. The impossible that happened after his prayers makes us understand how much the all-round spiritual strength of this person was developed.
These are just some of the miracles that the miracle worker John of Shanghai and San Francisco performed with his prayers.
Most often, to enhance the miraculous effect, it is recommended to visit those holy places where the relics of the Saints are preserved. This is how the relics of Archbishop John are kept in San Francisco. An inextinguishable lamp is constantly burning next to them, as well as a large number of candles. And even after his death, Vladyka John asks the Lord for his entire Orthodox Church, as well as for peace in the Heavenly Church.
He was buried in the cathedral he built, in the tomb. The relics have not yet undergone decay and are in the public domain. They were examined by the commission for canonization and noted that they have much in common with the relics that are in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and other monasteries.
It is noted that inexplicable miracles occur near the relics that heal and help solve some everyday affairs. It was noted by those praying that John the miracle worker is a quick helper in everyday troubles and illnesses.
They turn to him with various problems:
Address this Saint with your prayers and he will surely hear you. The main thing is true faith and fervent prayer coming from the heart. Also remember that the Saints should be addressed not only with requests, but also with gratitude.
It is with such a prayer that you can turn to this Saint.
About Saint Father John, the good shepherd and the secret-witness of the souls of men! Now, at the Throne of God, pray for us, as you yourself posthumously pronounced: even if you are dead, but I am alive. Beg the All-Merciful God forgiveness to us in our sins, so let us cheerfully rise up and cry out to God for the granting of us the spirit of humility, the fear of God and piety in all ways of our life. Like a merciful syrup and a skillful mentor on earth, now wake us a guide and Christ's admonition in church troubles. Hear the groaning of the confused youths of our hard times, overwhelmed by an all-evil demoniacal rage, and look at the despondency of the exhausted shepherds from the oppression of the corrupting spirit of this world and languishing in idle negligence, and hasten to prayer. Crying out with tears, oh warm prayer: visit us, orphans, all over the face of the universe of those who are scattered and in the Fatherland, wandering in the darkness of the passions, but with a weak love for the light of Christ attracted and waiting for your fatherly instruction, let us learn to piety and heir to the Kingdom of Heaven where you dwell with all the saints, glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him the honor and power, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
The Lord is always with you!
See also a video about the life of the miracle worker John of Shanghai:
There are numerous miracles that took place through the prayers of Vladyka John Maksimovich. The description of some of them will make it possible to present the all-round spiritual power of the saint.
The miraculous power of prayers and the sagacity of Saint John were known in Shanghai. It happened that Saint John was urgently summoned to commune a dying man in a hospital. Taking the Holy Gifts, the saint went with another priest to the hospital. Upon arriving there, they saw a young and cheerful man, more than 20 years old, playing the harmonica.
He had already recovered and was soon to leave the hospital. The saint called him over with the words: "I want to give you communion now." The young man immediately approached him, confessed and received the Holy Communion. The amazed priest asked Vladyka John why he did not go to the dying man, but stayed with an apparently healthy young man. The saint answered very briefly: "He will die tonight, and the one who is seriously ill will live for many more years."
With the coming of the Communists to power in China, Russians who did not take Soviet citizenship were again doomed to the exodus. Most of Vladyka's Shanghai flock went to the Philippines - in 1949, about 5 thousand Russians from China lived on the Philippine island of Tubabao in the camp of the International Organization of Refugees. The island was in the path of seasonal typhoons that sweep over this sector of the Pacific Ocean. However, during the entire 27 months of the camp's existence, he was only once threatened by a typhoon, but even then he changed course and bypassed the island. When a Russian spoke to the Filipinos about his fear of typhoons, they said there was no cause for concern, since "your holy man blesses your camp every night from all four directions." When the camp was evacuated, a terrible typhoon hit the island and completely destroyed all buildings.
The Russians not only survived on the island, but were also able to leave it thanks to the saint, who himself traveled to Washington and made sure that American laws were amended and most of the camp, about 3 thousand people, moved to the United States, and the rest to Australia.
After being evacuated from China, Vladyka John and his flock found himself in the Philippines. One day he visited the hospital. Terrible screams came from somewhere in the distance. To Vladyka's question, the nurse replied that she was a hopeless patient who had been isolated because she was bothering everyone with her screams. Vladyka wanted to go there immediately, but the nurse did not advise him, as the stench emanated from the patient. “It doesn’t matter,” Vladyka replied and headed for another building. He placed a cross on the woman's head and began to pray, then confessed her and gave the Holy Communion. When he left, she no longer screamed, but moaned softly. Some time later, Vladyka again visited the hospital, and this woman herself ran out to meet him.
A seven-year-old girl fell ill at the shelter. By nightfall, her temperature rose and she began to scream in pain. At midnight she was taken to the hospital where volvulus was diagnosed. A council of doctors was convened, who announced to the mother that the girl's condition was hopeless and that she could not bear the operation. The mother asked to save her daughter and have an operation, and at night she went to Vladyka John. Vladyka called his mother to the cathedral, opened the royal gates and began to pray in front of the throne, and the mother, kneeling in front of the iconostasis, also fervently prayed for her daughter. This lasted a long time, and already morning had come when Vladyka John approached the mother, blessed her and said that she could go home — her daughter would be alive and well. Mother hurried to the hospital. The surgeon told her that the operation was successful, but he had never seen such a case in his practice. Only God could save the girl through her mother's prayers.
A seriously ill woman in the hospital called for Vladyka. The doctor said that she was dying and there was no need to bother Vladyka. The next day, Vladyka arrived at the hospital and said to the woman: "Why are you stopping me from praying, because now I have to celebrate the Liturgy." He gave the dying woman communion, blessed her and left. The patient fell asleep and then began to recover quickly.
Here is a case of casting out demons. The father tells about the healing of his son. "My son was possessed, he hated everything that is holy, all holy icons and crosses, split them into the thinnest sticks and was very happy about it. I took him to Vladyka John, and he put him on his knees, put on his head now a cross, now the Gospel My son used to be very sad after that, and sometimes he ran away from the cathedral. But Vladyka told me not to despair. He said that he would continue to pray for him, and in time he would recover, but for now let him continue to be treated by doctors. " do not worry, the Lord is not without the mercy of "". This went on for several years. One day the son was reading the Gospel at home. His face was bright and joyful. And he told his father that he needed to go to Minhon (30-40 km from Shanghai), to a home for the insane, where he sometimes went: “I need to go there, there the Spirit of God will cleanse me of the spirit of evil and darkness, and I then I will go to the Lord, "he said. They brought him to Minhon. Two days later, his father came to visit him and saw that his son was restless, constantly rushing about in bed, and suddenly he began to shout: "Don't, don't come to me, I don't want you!"
The father went out into the corridor to find out who was coming. The corridor was long and opened onto an alley. There my father saw a car, Vladyka John got out of it and went to the hospital. The father entered the ward and sees that his son is rushing about on the bed and shouting: "Do not come, I do not want you, go away, go away!" Then he calmed down and began to pray quietly.
At this time, footsteps were heard along the corridor. The patient jumped out of bed and ran down the corridor in his pajamas. Having met the lord, he fell on his knees in front of him and cried, asking him to drive away the spirit of evil from him. Vladyka put his hands on his head and recited prayers, then took him by the shoulders and led him into the ward, there he put him into bed and prayed over him. Then he gave the Holy Communion.
When Vladyka left, the patient said: "Well, finally, healing has been accomplished, and now the Lord will take me to Himself. Dad, take me quickly, I must die at home." When the father brought his son home, he was happy to see everything in his room, and especially the icons; began to pray and took the Gospel. The next day, he began to rush his father to call the priest as soon as possible to take communion again. The father said that he had received communion only yesterday, but the son objected and said: "Dad, rather, rather, or you will not have time." My father called. The priest arrived, and the son was given communion again. When the father escorted the priest to the stairs and returned, his son changed in face, smiled at him again and quietly departed to the Lord.
In Shanghai, the singing teacher Anna Petrovna Lushnikova taught Vladyka to breathe correctly and pronounce words correctly, and this helped him to improve diction. At the end of each lesson, Vladyka paid her $ 20. One day, during the war, in 1945, she was seriously wounded and ended up in a French hospital. Feeling that she might die at night, Anna Petrovna began to ask the sisters to call Vladyka John to give her communion. The sisters refused to do this, since in the evenings the hospital was locked due to martial law. In addition, there was a violent storm that night. Anna Petrovna was torn and called to Vladyka. Suddenly, at about 11 o'clock in the morning, Vladyka appeared in the ward. In disbelief, A.P. asked Vladyka if it was a dream, or if he really came to her. Vladyka smiled, prayed and gave her the sacrament. After that, she calmed down and fell asleep. The next morning she felt healthy. Nobody believed A.P. that Vladyka visited her at night, since the hospital was tightly locked. However, a roommate confirmed that she had also seen Vladyka. Most of all, they were struck by the fact that under Anna Petrovna's pillow they found a 20-dollar bill. So Vladyka left material evidence of this incredible incident.***
The year is 1948. In the hospital of the Russian Orthodox Brotherhood, a dying patient begs his sister to urgently call Vladyka John, but there is no connection - the line is damaged due to the typhoon that has begun. However, after about half an hour, a knock is heard at the gate. To the question: "Who?" the answer is: "I am Vladyka John, they are calling me here, they are waiting for me here."
Among the numerous testimonies of those years, there is also a story about the Vladyka's prayer for one seriously ill person from Khailai. His condition was found to be hopeless, and the Catholic sisters on duty at the department awaited the end for a minute, but soon they found him sitting in bed. The patient's question, what kind of priest was he just now and prayed for him, remained unanswered. When, after being discharged, this man walked around all the Catholic churches and did not find the one he was looking for, they nevertheless helped him, prompting him to go to the Russian church, where "an Orthodox bishop serves, a kind of Christ for the sake of the holy fool."
All European hospitals knew about this bishop, who could pray for a dying person all night. He was called to the bedside of a seriously ill person - be he Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or whatever - because when he prayed God was merciful. So, in a Paris hospital, there was one Orthodox woman, embarrassed in front of her neighbors in the ward of the arrival of a tattered and barefoot bishop to her. But when he taught her the Holy Gifts, a Frenchwoman on the nearest bed told her: "How happy you are to have such a confessor. My sister lives in Versailles, and when her children fall ill, she drives them out into the street along which Bishop John usually walks, and asks him to bless them. After receiving the blessing, the children immediately recover. We call him a saint. "
Anna Khodyreva says: “My sister Ksenia Ya., Who lived in Los Angeles, had a severe and long hand pain. She went to the doctors, was treated with home remedies, but nothing helped. Finally, she decided to contact Vladyka John and wrote him a letter to San Francisco. Some time passed, and the hand recovered. Xenia even began to forget about the previous pain in her hand. Once, while visiting San Francisco, she went to the cathedral for a divine service. At the end of the service, Vladyka John gave me a kiss on the cross. Seeing my sister , he asks her: "How is your hand?" But Vladyka saw it for the first time! How did he recognize her and the fact that her arm was hurting? "
Anna S. recalls: “My sister and I had an accident. A drunken young man was driving towards me. He hit the car door with great force on the side where my sister was sitting. An ambulance was called and my sister was taken to the hospital. Her condition was very serious. - the lung was proportioned and the rib was broken, which made her suffer a lot. Her face was so swollen that her eyes were not visible. When Vladyka visited her, she lifted her eyelid with her finger and, seeing Vladyka, took his hand and kissed him. She could not speak. because there was a cut in her throat, but tears of joy flowed from the slits of her eyes. Since then, Vladyka visited her several times, and she began to recover. Once Vladyka came to the hospital and, entering the general ward, told us: " Musa is now very bad. "Then he went to her, drew the curtain by the bed and prayed for a long time. By that time, two doctors approached us, and I asked them how serious the situation of my sister was and whether it was worth calling her daughter from Canada? (We hid from the daughter that the mother got in an accident). The doctors answered: "It is your business to call or not to call her relatives. We do not guarantee that she will live until the morning." Thank God that she not only survived that night, but completely recovered and returned to Canada ... My sister and I believe that Vladyka John's prayers saved her. "
L.A. Liu recalls: “In San Francisco, my husband, having got into a car accident, was very sick; he lost control of balance and suffered terribly. At that time, Vladyka experienced many troubles. Knowing the power of Vladyka's prayers, I thought: He will recover. However, I was ashamed to invite Vladyka, knowing his busyness. Two days passed, and suddenly Vladyka came to us, accompanied by Mr. BM Troyan, who had brought him. Vladyka stayed with us for only five minutes, but I began to believe that my husband would recover, although he was experiencing the most critical moment. Indeed, after visiting Vladyka, he had a sharp turnaround, after which he began to recover. Later I met Mr. Troyan at a church meeting, and he told me that he was the one who ruled by car when he was driving Vladyka to the airport. Suddenly Vladyka said to him: “We are going to Liu now.” He objected that they would be late for the plane. Then Vladyka asked: “Can you take over the life of a person?” he took Vladyka to us. However, Vladyka was not late for the plane, for he was detained. "
Holiness is costly to man. The saint gives himself entirely to God: with all his thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions. He leaves nothing for himself, because he himself wants to have only God.
Inconvenient saint
St. John of Shanghai (1896-1966) is our contemporary. He did not possess any "majestic appearance of a gray-haired old man": small, ugly, with a speech impairment, often in a crumpled cassock and barefoot. Some of the people around him were even embarrassed for "such a bishop", because he served as a bishop in large cities: Shanghai, Paris, Brussels, San Francisco.
He often walked barefoot and once an order came from his superiors: to wear shoes. The bishop wore them, slung over his shoulder with laces tied. A new order came: “put it on your feet,” the bishop was obedient and put it on.
Saint John received the monastic tonsure at the age of 30. Since then, prayer - communication with God and the saints - has become for him a greater reality than all the deeds, worries and experiences of earthly life.
In prayer, the saint sought the will of God, with which he checked all his actions. Prayer as a living connection with God and the saints was the source of St. John's "miracles": the saint prayed - God heard him.
Saint John flew many airplanes, because his flock was scattered all over the world. In the photo, St. John in San Francisco. 1962 year
Brief biography of St. John of Shanghai
Saint John, baptized Michael, was born in the Kharkov province on July 4, 1896, into the noble family of Boris and Glafira Maksimovich. There was a saint in his family - the outstanding Siberian missionary Saint John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk, glorified by God with miracles and incorruptible relics.
“From the very first days, as I began to realize myself, I wanted to serve righteousness and Truth,” the saint will say at his episcopal consecration.
Mikhail graduated from the Poltava Cadet Corps, and, at the request of his parents, the law faculty of the Kharkov Imperial University, although during his studies he read more about the lives of saints and patristic literature.
During the revolution in Kharkov, arrests began, Mikhail's parents asked him to hide. He replied that you cannot hide from the will of God, and without it nothing happens to a person. Mikhail was arrested twice, but he remained completely calm. He literally lived in a different world and simply refused to adapt to the reality that controls the lives of most people.
In 1921, during the civil war, the saint's family emigrated to Belgrade. Leaving Kharkov, the parents left Mikhail at the station to look after his things, and they left, but when they returned, they saw that Mikhail was sitting on the only remaining suitcase, completely immersed in reading the Gospel, which he always carried with him, and all other things were stolen.
In Belgrade, the future saint entered the theological faculty of the university, earning money by selling newspapers. The saint is remembered at that time, dressed in a fur sheepskin coat and old crumbling boots, but not at all embarrassed by his appearance.
In 1926, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), whom Saint John met while still in Kharkov, tonsured Michael as a monk with the name John (in honor of Mikhail's ancestor, Metropolitan John of Tobolsk).
Saint John teaches at the Bitola Seminary, serves the Liturgy every day, visits hospitals, where he looks for the sick in need of prayer, consolation and communion.
In 1934, Hieromonk John was elevated to the bishopric and appointed to the Shanghai Diocese. In Shanghai, Saint John immediately set about restoring church unity, establishing contact with the local Orthodox Serbs, Greeks and Ukrainians. At the same time, the saint builds a cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "The Assistant of Sinners", creates hospitals and orphanages for orphans and children in need.
With the coming to power of the Communists, Russians from China fled to the Philippine Islands. In 1949, five thousand refugees were on the island of Tubabao. At the request of St. John, Washington changed the law on Russian refugees, and many Russians were given visas to the United States.
In 1951, Saint John headed the Western European Diocese with a See in Paris. He worked hard to integrate the parishes of the French Orthodox Church into the Church Abroad and helped to create the Dutch Orthodox Church. Vladyka drew attention to the existence of ancient local saints unknown to the Orthodox Church. On his initiative, the ROCOR Synod passed a resolution on the veneration of a number of saints who lived in the West before the division of the churches in 1054.
In 1962, Saint John was transferred to San Francisco. He is completing the construction of the cathedral, suspended as a result of parish disagreements. However, he himself is attacked and accused of "abuse of parish funds." The case comes to a civil court.
The American civil court completely acquitted Saint John, but the last years of his life were darkened by these events.
Saint John died on July 2, 1966, at the age of 71. In 1993, his relics were found incorrupt. On July 2, 1994, Saint John of Shanghai was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and in 2008 the Council of Bishops of the newly united Russian Orthodox Church established general church veneration of Saint John.
Prayer is like breathing
“We all join in prayer, but Vladyka John does not need to stand in it: he always dwells in it ...”, one of his spiritual children, Hieromonk Methodius, said about the saint.
In order to pray in this way - to give place to the spirit - it is necessary to constrain the flesh, this is the meaning of any asceticism. Since the time of the monastic tonsure, Saint John never went to bed, slept sitting and only for a few hours, setting aside the night for prayer. He ate, often mixing all the dishes: soup, side dish, compote, so that earthly food would not seem like pleasure.
From all over the world, Saint John received letters with requests to pray, sometimes they put notes in them. Many of them are preserved in the archives of the Western American Diocese of San Francisco.
Through the prayers of the saint, many healings happened
St John was written by both acquaintances and people completely unknown to him. These are notes from refugees from Shanghai who, together with the saint were in exile on the island of Tubabao
Many "Shanghai" and "Tubaba" people were confused in different countries after their expulsion. The news from them was especially dear
Whoever could put small donations into their letters with requests for remembrance, some remained in envelopes. Now in the archives of the diocese
What is holiness
With the episcopacy at 38 years of age (1936), the saint did not change his ascetic practice, although his life changed a lot: no solitude, there are always people nearby, their requests, their strife.
Often monks, for example, Saint Sergius of Radonezh, who was offered to become a bishop, resolutely refused, fearing pride, fearing that this would disrupt their prayer life, which was often built with great difficulty. After all, a bishop is like a big boss, an administrator who needs to deal with people all the time.
Saint John also did not want to be a bishop. Even, as an argument, he brought his tongue-tied, and the bishop needs to speak speeches and sermons. But he was told that Moses was tongue-tied, and nothing.
The first place of the episcopal ministry of Saint John became China
Saint John perceived the episcopacy as ecclesiastical obedience. In addition, he very much believed and honored his spiritual mentor, Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky, who blessed him to be ordained. Metropolitan himself. Anthony spoke about his student this way: "This small and weak man, almost a child in appearance, is some kind of miracle of ascetic perseverance and severity in our time of universal spiritual relaxation ...".
When Saint John became a bishop, they noticed that he sometimes behaves like a fool: he looks strange, behaves “not according to the rules,” and does not explain his oddities in any way. Some were annoyed - bishops are not supposed to, he is not a hermit, people look at him!
But for Saint John, who knew what God wanted from him, it was not so important how people look at him. Some of his actions were foolishness for Christ's sake - when the truth of Christ is more important than all truths, customs and human concepts.
“The saint was often criticized for violating the accepted order of things. He was late for services (not for personal reasons, but lingering with the sick or dying) and did not allow to start without himself, and when he served, the services were very long. He used to show up in different places without warning and at unexpected times; often visited hospitals at night. At times, his judgments seemed contrary to common sense, and his actions seemed strange and he did not explain them, - wrote Fr. Seraphim Rose, who knew him from his youth.
Saint John did not wash or iron his cassock, did not comb his hair and beard, which caused the embarrassment of those who met him.
The saint was not infallible, he was wrong and did not hesitate to admit it when he discovered it. But usually he was still right, and the seeming strangeness of some actions and judgments subsequently revealed a deep spiritual meaning. The life of St. John was fundamentally spiritual, and if this violated the established order of things, it was only in order to force people to wake up from spiritual slumber. "
Photos of the saint in the vestibule of the church of St. Tikhon Zadonsky, where he served the Liturgy every day
Memorial service on the street
Once, when Vladyka was in Marseilles, he decided to serve a requiem at the site of the murder of the Serbian king Alexander. None of the clergy, out of false shame, wanted to serve with him. And really, have you ever seen a job - to serve in the middle of the street! Vladyka went alone. The inhabitants of Marseille were stunned by the appearance of a priest in unusual clothes, with long hair and barefoot, walking with a suitcase and a broom in the middle of the street .... When Vladyka cleaned out a small part of the sidewalk with a broom, he took out a censer from a suitcase, lit it and began to serve the requiem, ”one of his spiritual daughters recalled Saint John.
“It cannot be said that Vladyka is remembered by everyone as an active administrator,” says Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, author of the book about the saint “Vladyka John - a Saint of the Russian Diaspora,” “although Saint John built several churches, opened an orphanage, a sisterhood, studied with young people, and helped his flock around the world. But the main thing for which he is loved and revered - he was a real monk, faithful to God.
He constantly prayed, served the Divine Liturgy every day (very few people could withstand such a rhythm, therefore Vladyka often served alone - he read and sang the entire service himself), received Communion every day, fasted strictly - ate only once late in the evening, and only ate the Great and Nativity Lent. prosphora ".
Saint John in San Francisco. The photo shows that he put the boots on his bare feet.
"So that he is not praised - he, they say, does not sleep, he serves every day, almost a saint," Vladyka was acting like a fool, says Father Peter, "he was often late for an hour or more, walked barefoot and in crumpled clothes."
But in everything related to his service, Vladyka was very strict with himself and with others. He never spoke in the altar and after the service remained in it for several hours, but once remarked: "How difficult it is to break away from prayer and move on to the earthly!"
The saint even heard unspoken requests
Ms. Liu, one of the saint's spiritual daughters, recalls: “In San Francisco, my husband got into a car accident. At this time, Vladyka already had many troubles. Knowing the power of his prayers, I thought: “If I could invite Vladyka to my husband, my husband would recover,” but I was afraid to do this because of Vladyka's busyness. And suddenly Vladyka comes to us himself, accompanied by a certain master who brought him. He stayed only five minutes, but I believed that my husband would feel better. And, indeed, after this visit from Vladyka, the husband began to recover.
Later I met a man who had brought Vladyka to us, and he said that he was taking Vladyka to the airport, when suddenly Vladyka said to him: "We are going to L. now." The latter objected that they would be late for the airplane, and that he could not turn right this minute. Then Vladyka said: "Can you take over the life of a person?" There was nothing to be done, and he took Vladyka to us. Vladyka was not late for the airplane, however, because the flight was delayed for the sake of Vladyka. "
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - a visiting card of the city - is located very close to the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
Rarely does a saint appear who in one person combines such different ministries as episcopacy, foolishness, miracles and extreme asceticism. The Apostle Paul wrote about the gifts of the Holy Spirit: “One is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, another is given the word of knowledge, to someone is faith, to someone is the gifts of healings, to someone is miracles, to someone is prophecy, to someone is the discernment of spirits, to someone is different languages, and to someone the interpretation of languages. "
Saint John of Shanghai had all these gifts, including "different languages" (he served the Liturgy in Greek, and in French, and in Dutch, and in Arabic, and in Chinese, in English and Church Slavonic). The saint was a rare ascetic and loving pastor, theologian, missionary and apostle, protector of orphans and a healer.
God gave all this to Saint John because he acquired the main gift - the gift of love, without which no power and value, the greatest human skills, have any value.
Saint Nicholas (Velimirovich), who during the time of Saint John's stay in Yugoslavia, was the ruling bishop in the Ohrid and Zichy dioceses, said about him: "If you want to see a living saint, go to Bitol to Father John!" And Father John was at that time a little over thirty years old.
Saint Nicholas of Serbia (Velimirovich)
Saint John's notebook, where he wrote down thoughts and quotes he liked from the books he read
Prelate at home
The spiritual daughter of Saint E. Chertkov recalls: “I went to visit Vladyka several times when he lived in the Cadet Corps near Paris. He had a small cell on the top floor. In the cell there was a table, an armchair and several chairs, and in the corner there were icons and a lectern with books. There was no bed in the cell, because Vladyka did not go to bed, but prayed, leaning on a high stick with a crossbar at the top. Sometimes he prayed on his knees; Probably, when he bowed, he fell asleep a little in this position, on the floor. Sometimes during our conversation, it seemed to me that he was dozing. But when I stopped, he immediately said: "Go on, I'm listening."
Photo of St. John of Shanghai in his office in San Francisco
When he was not serving, but was at home, he usually walked barefoot (to mortify the flesh) - even in the most severe frosts. Sometimes, he walks barefoot in the cold along the rocky road from the building to the temple, which was at the gate, and the building stood inside the park, on a hill. One day he injured his leg; the doctors could not cure her, and there was a danger of blood poisoning. I had to put Vladyka in the hospital, but he refused to go to bed. However, at the insistence of his superiors, Vladyka finally submitted and went to bed, but put a boot under him so that it would be uncomfortable to lie down. The sisters of the hospital, French women, said: "You brought a saint to us!" Every morning a priest came to him, served the Liturgy and Vladyka took communion. "
Icon corner and work table in the office of St. John in the orphanage of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk in San Francisco. All items on it are left as they were under the saint.
In this chair, which stands in the study, Saint John rested at night. There was no bed in his room
The books on the shelves of the study are the same as under St. John
Now in the office of St. John the confession of those who came to pray in the church of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk at the orphanage is taking place (and now, when the children have grown up, this building houses the diocesan administration of the Zaparno-American Diocese)
The calendar of the year of the death of St. John is left on his desk in the office
On the wall of the study there was a schedule of school lessons so that Saint John would know when and where the orphan children were busy. Often he went to lessons or came to classes during recess.
Liturgical vestments of St. John
The building of the shelter of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk in San Francisco, where the church and the cell of St. John are located. Today the building houses the Diocesan Office of the Western American Diocese
For the mercy of the saints, there is neither Hellene nor Jew
Saint John responded to requests for help, regardless of the faith and nationality of a person. They knew about this and called to a seriously ill person, whether he was a Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox or anyone else, because when Saint John prayed, God was merciful.
"How happy you are to have such a bishop"
The spiritual daughter of the saint recalls: “In a Paris hospital there was a sick woman named Alexandra and Vladyka John was told about her. He handed over a note that he would come and commune her. Lying in the common room, where there were about 40-50 people, she felt awkward in front of the French ladies that an Orthodox bishop would visit her, dressed in incredibly shabby clothes and, moreover, barefoot.
When he taught her the Holy Gifts, a French woman on the nearest bed told her: “How happy you are to have such a confessor. My sister lives in Versailles, and when her children fall ill, she throws them out into the street, which Bishop John usually walks, and asks him to bless them. After receiving the blessing, the children immediately recover. We call him a saint. "
And in one of the Catholic churches in Paris, a local priest told his parishioners: “You demand proof, you say that now there are no miracles or saints. Why should I give you theoretical proofs when St. John the Boss is walking the streets of Paris today. "
Saint John himself visited the sick daily and demanded the same from his priests. They had to write reports to him about this.
Lord and children
In Shanghai, where Saint John was sent from Belgrade in 1934, there were about 20,000 Russians (about 120,000 in total in China), who constituted the largest group of foreigners in the city. Bishop John found a huge number of homeless orphans on the streets of the city. In March 1943, the Chinese authorities issued a decree on the mobilization of women. This was another reason for the appearance on the streets of Shanghai of a huge number of children without parents. For such children, St. John created an orphanage. Often the saint himself gathered sick and starving children from the streets of the Shanghai slums.
The orphanage existed from 1935 to 1951, when the saint moved with all his flock (and with the remaining orphanage children) to America. Over the entire existence of the orphanage, more than 3,500 orphans, both Russian and Chinese, have been its pupils.
During the Japanese occupation of China, the shelter often lacked food. Then the saint prayed, and soon unknown people came and brought what was needed.
Saint John with the children of the St. Tikhon Zadonsky in San Francisco. In the same shelter there was his cell and temple, where he served the liturgy, if services were not planned in other churches of the diocese.
To defend the Russians before the Japanese authorities, the saint declared himself the temporary head of the Russian colony. Ignoring the shooting, he walked the streets to visit a sick or dying person. The Japanese officers recognized Vladyka and, amazed at his firmness and courage, often let him pass.
Children from the orphanage of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk in Shanghai
"What do you need the most?"
Once, during the war, there was nothing to feed the orphanages, who had already accumulated more than ninety people, and Vladyka continued to bring in new children. The staff were indignant, and one evening Maria Shakhmatova, the treasurer of the orphanage, accused Vladyka John of bringing in new children, making the others starve. Then Vladyka asked: what does she most need? Maria Alexandrovna resentfully replied that there was no food at all, but at worst she needed oatmeal to feed the children in the morning. Vladyka looked at her sadly and, rising to his room, began to pray and bow, and so earnestly and loudly that even the neighbors began to complain.
In the morning, Maria Alexandrovna was woken up by a doorbell, an unknown man, who looked like an Englishman, introduced himself as an employee of some grain company and said that they had extra supplies of oatmeal, and he would like to give them to orphan children. Sacks of oatmeal were brought into the house, and Vladyka continued his prayer, now of thanksgiving.
Fundraising of St. John
The Ladies' Committee specially created by St. John, as well as the Society of Friends of the orphanage, were involved in raising funds for the existence of the orphanage. They talked about their activities through the press. New helpers, benefactors, even adoptive parents of orphans were found and joined in the work through the newspapers. Moreover, the editorial offices often performed the functions of collection points for donations, and journalists not only covered the events, but also took an active part in the preparation of charitable fundraising events.
Russian newspapers published in Shanghai published invitations and reports on charitable events.
Published reports on charity events criticized absent individuals who did not want to donate to children
An invitation to a charity winter festival in favor of the shelter. The program includes a ball, a vodka buffet and a cold dinner
A complete list of all the winnings of the charity lottery was published for those who could not attend in person
Calls to donate to the orphanage of St. Tikhon of Zadonsky were published not only in the pages of newspapers, but also sounded on the radio
The newspaper "Novoye Vremya" publishes an analytical analysis of the charitable activities of Russians in Shanghai
Report on the income and expenditure of funds received for the shelter from donors
Newspapers of the time were the paper versions of modern social networks on the Internet. The morning in Shanghai began with watching the "news feed": who said what, to whom, answered, reported, suggested.
New methods of fundraising were invented over tea, and immediately with representatives of the press. The results of these meetings were immediately published in the newspapers: “The society consists of 8 ladies and two newspaper reporters. Sitting at the tea table, the society discusses the question of what form should now be used to appeal to the public in order to "swing" it for new donations, which are so necessary for the Shelter of St. Tikhon Zadonsky ".
The Ladies' Committee held fair balls in favor of the Shelter several times a year. Sometimes admission to events was paid, sometimes free, then donations were accepted into the circle. Musicians, dancers, pop performers were invited - in those years many creative people lived in Shanghai, for example, the famous poet and singer Alexander Vertinsky.
Lotteries and auctions were always held at the evenings. Guests themselves donated valuable prizes. In addition to charitable events (balls, auctions, lotteries, concerts) for high society, there were also events for ordinary people, the proceeds from which went to social projects of St. John of Shanghai, for example, charitable football matches.
The Shanghai New Way newspaper regularly published lists of needs and fundraising reports for the St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, founded by St. John of Shanghai
Lord of typhoons
With the coming to power of the Communists, Russians from China fled to the Philippine Islands. In 1949, five thousand refugees were on the island of Tubabao. Vladyka went around the island every day and, with his prayers and the sign of the cross, protected the island from seasonal typhoons. When the Russians expressed their fears at the first sign of an approaching typhoon, the Filipinos themselves remained completely calm, saying: "As long as your holy man goes around our island, nothing will happen to all of us."
Saint John with parishioners in front of the entrance to the tent temple on the island of Tubabao
Indeed, as soon as the last batch of Russian refugees was taken out, a strong typhoon hit the island and almost completely destroyed all its buildings.
Many Russian refugees temporarily staying in the Philippine Islands and living in harsh conditions, in an unusually hot climate, were not given visas to the United States. Saint John went to Washington to petition for this. As a result of his petition, the American Congress changed the Russian refugee law so that Russians could leave for the United States. Some of the Russian refugees left for Argentina and Australia.
Letter from Saint John of Shanghai to the presidents and dignitaries of different countries with a request for asylum for Russian refugees
Saint in the dock
In 1962, Saint John was transferred to San Francisco in response to the persistent requests of thousands of Russian local parishioners who knew him well from Shanghai: the construction of a cathedral in San Francisco was suspended due to disagreements in the parish. The saint sorted out the matter, found a mess in finances and accounting documents, and called the debtors to account. The debtors sent complaints to the Synod.
In the Synod, these complaints were used as a convenient pretext by the saint's ill-wishers: they raised the question of the "illegality" of his appointment to the cathedra in San Francisco and his recall. In the Synod, the saint had many who despised the "googly" and "bizarre" bishop as "an insufficiently subtle theologian" or "bad administrator."
Cathedral ("New") Cathedral in San Francisco in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
The ill-wishers feared the main thing: the living miracle-worker saint, who came to the leading chair of the most significant diocese of the Russian Church Abroad, was the most realistic candidate for the place of the already very sick First Hierarch. The activity of ill-wishers has borne fruit. The Russian community in San Francisco was in disarray from the "party struggle." At parish meetings, the saint and his supporters were accompanied by shouts and insults. Among the persecutors of the saint there were even those whom he healed from cancer and other serious illnesses.
Some women scolded the saint and even spat on him. One woman later recalled with horror how her mother, running up, spat in the face of the saint - immediately after the service. But even some of the saint's admirers openly interceded for him. For example, Abbess Ariadne loudly, with a staff in her hands, denounced in the cathedral those who insulted a living saint.
On July 9, 1962, in the San Francisco Examiner, the front page of the trial of the Russian archbishop appeared along with his photographs in the courtroom. The process lasted four days. His closest friends were with Vladyka in court: bishops Savva of Edmont, Leontius of Chile, Nectarius of Seattle, Abbess Ariadne. Fr. Seraphim Rose (then a disciple of Saint Eugene Rose).
Before the installation of crosses on the New Cathedral in San Francisco, which was built and opened thanks to the bishop. The cathedral was consecrated in 1965; Bishop John managed to serve a little in it until his death in 1966. (In the photo - St. John is the third from the left)
Archbishop John(in the world Mikhail Borisovich Maksimovich; June 4 (16), Adamovka village, Izyum district, Kharkov province - July 2, Seattle, Washington state, USA) - Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR); Archbishop of Western America and San Francisco. An outstanding hierarch and spiritual leader, a missionary who, according to eyewitnesses, showed cases of clairvoyance and miracles.
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Born on June 4, 1896 in the town of Adamovka, Izyumsky district of Kharkov province (now Slavyansky district of Donetsk region) in a noble Orthodox family, which financially supported the Svyatogorsky monastery on the Seversky Donets. Father - Boris Ivanovich Maksimovich (1871-1954); raisin district marshal of the nobility of the Kharkov province. Mother - Glafira Mikhailovna Stefanovich-Sevastyanovich (died in 1952). The parents emigrated and lived in Venezuela in the 1950s. Father's uncle - General Konstantin Klavdievich Maksimovich. The famous church figure of the 18th century, Metropolitan John of Tobolsk (Maksimovich), who was glorified by the Russian Church as a saint in 1916, belonged to the same family.
Since childhood, he was distinguished by deep religiosity, his favorite reading was the lives of the saints, however, according to family tradition, he chose a military education, enrolling in the Petrovsky Poltava Cadet Corps in 1907, from which he graduated in 1914.
He expressed a desire to study further at the Kiev Theological Academy, however, at the insistence of his parents, he entered the law faculty of Kharkov University. I studied spiritual literature on my own. He was acquainted with the Archbishop of Kharkov Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who became the leader of his spiritual life. Mikhail was greatly impressed by the visit to Kharkov of Bishop Barnabas (Nastich), later the Patriarch of Serbia.
In 1918 he graduated from the law faculty of Kharkov University. During the reign of Hetman P. P. Skoropadsky in Ukraine, he served in the provincial court. When Kharkov was occupied by the army of General A. I. Denikin, he again served in court. He was a member of the parish council.
When the white troops retreated, he left with his family for the Crimea. In November 1920 he was evacuated to Constantinople, from where in 1921 he arrived in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes together with his parents and two brothers. One of them received a higher technical education and worked as an engineer in Yugoslavia, the other, after graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Belgrade, worked in the Yugoslav police.
In 1924, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who by that time headed the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR), ordained him as a reader in the Russian Trinity Church in Belgrade.
On behalf of Metropolitan Anthony, he prepared a report on the origin of the law on succession to the throne in Russia, in which he investigated the question of how this law corresponds to the spirit of the Russian people and its historical traditions.
On October 13, 1925, he graduated from the theological faculty of the University of Belgrade. Received the highest marks (10 points) on 5 out of 28 subjects handed over to him.
After graduating from the University of Belgrade, he was appointed as a law teacher at the Serbian State Gymnasium in the city of Velika Kikinda.
Since 1927, he taught pastoral theology and church history at the Theological Seminary of Apostle John the Theologian of the Ohrid diocese in Bitola. Bishop Nicholas (Velimirovich), addressing the seminarians, said about John Maksimovich: “Children, listen to Father John; he is an angel of God in human form. "
During the summer holidays, he lived in the Milkovo Monastery, communicated closely with the abbot, Archimandrite Ambrose (Kurganov), Archimandrite Thaddeus Vitovnitsky (then a young novice Tomislav) fondly recalled his conversations during monastic obediences. After the abbot died in May 1933, the situation in the monastery changed.
In the same period, he published a number of theological works ("Veneration of the Theotokos and John the Baptist and a new direction of Russian theological thought", "How the Holy Orthodox Church venerated and honors the Mother of God", "Teaching about Sophia - the Wisdom of God"), in which, from the patristic positions polemicized with the supporters of the theological concept of "sophiology", first of all, with the priest Sergiy Bulgakov.
Like many Russian émigrés, he greatly respected the king of Yugoslavia, Alexander I Karageorgievich, who patronized refugees from Russia. Many years later, he served a requiem for him at the scene of his murder on one of the streets of Marseille. Other Orthodox clerics, out of false shame, refused to serve on the street with Vladyka. Then Vladyka John took a broom, laid the bishop's eagles on a swept-out section of the sidewalk, lit a censer, and served a requiem in French.
On June 10 of the same year, in the Russian Trinity Church in Belgrade, he was consecrated bishop. The ordination was headed by Metropolitan Anthony, who at the same time sent a letter to Archbishop Dimitry (Voznesensky), where he wrote: “As my soul, as my heart, I send Vladyka Bishop John to you. This small, physically weak person, almost like a child in appearance, is a miracle of ascetic perseverance and severity in our time of universal spiritual relaxation. "
On December 4, 1934, he arrived in Shanghai, where by that time there were about 50 thousand Russian refugees. He was able to quickly settle the differences between the Orthodox parishes.
Under Bishop John in Shanghai, the construction of St. Nicholas Church (1935) was completed - a temple-monument to the Tsar-Martyr. In 1936, he opened the courtyard of the Peking Women's Intercession Monastery, where 15 sisters asceticised. Other churches were also built in Shanghai, including the Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "The Guarantor of Sinners."
He himself arrived at the camp on Tubabao a few days before Easter 1949, an event of exceptional importance in the spiritual life of the camp. According to the memoirs of A. N. Knyazev: “Vladyka John of Shanghai arrived at Tubabao in a jeep and immediately proceeded to the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, where he was met by Hieromonk Modest, Priest Father Philaret of Astrakhan and Protodeacon Father Konstantin Zanevsky and Bishop G. Agathonov headed by ... The cathedral was overflowing with Vladyka's admirers. After the prayer service and a cup of tea, Vladyka proceeded to the St. Seraphim Church, where he was also greeted with bell ringing, and in the church - Archpriest Father Afanasy Shalobanov and Father Nikolai Kolchev, Hieromonk Father Nikolai and Deacon Father Pavel Metlenko. The choir sang under the direction of I.P. Mikhailov. After a short service, Vladyka went to the Holy Archangel Michael Church, and here he was greeted by the bell ringing of Archpriest Father Matvey Medvedev and Father David Shevchenko with the choir led by M. A. Shulyakovsky. "
His stay in Tubabao, which lasted about three months, devoted himself to meeting the spiritual needs of his flock and getting to know the daily life of refugees. He left the camp on July 12, 1949, heading to the US capital, Washington, where he fussed before the US Congress to grant the Tubaba residents the right to permanent residence in the US. During his stay in Washington, he founded the parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, now known as the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Fewer refugees left for Australia.
On November 27, 1950, by the decision of the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR, he was appointed Archbishop of Western Europe; he retained the management of the remaining parishes of the Shanghai Diocese (in Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.). Before his arrival in the diocese, it was temporarily ruled by Bishop Leonty (Bartoshevich) of Geneva.
On July 21, 1951, he arrived in Paris, lived in Meudon at the Resurrection Church. Since the Russian churches in Paris were under the jurisdiction of the Western European Exarchate of the Russian parishes of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Brussels was considered the official residence of Archbishop John, he was titled “Archbishop of Brussels and Western Europe”. The center of the vigorous activity of Archbishop John was the Brussels church in the name of Job the Long-suffering, laid in the memory of Tsar Nikolai Alexandrovich.
On October 21, 1953, the Council of Bishops decided: "To approve for Archbishop John, in addition to the title of Archbishop of Brussels and Western Europe, the title of Governor of the Russian Orthodox Churches in China and the Philippines."
He spent most of his time in the vicinity of Paris. In 1952 he moved from Meudon to Versailles, lived at the diocesan administration, located in the building of the Russian cadet corps named after Nicholas II; was the chairman of the board of trustees of the cadet corps. He often visited the Lesninsky Mother of God Convent in Fourko, served in Paris in temporarily rented premises. In December 1961, he consecrated the Parisian Church of All Saints Who Shone in the Land of Russia.
Under him, the veneration of the western saints of the undivided church (that is, those who lived before the separation of the Catholic Church from the Orthodox) was restored in the diocese. Orthodox churches began to commemorate the patroness of Paris, Saint Genevieve (Genovefa), the enlightener of Ireland, Saint Patrick (Patrick), and other saints famous in the West. He was actively involved in missionary activities, took under his wing Orthodox churches in France and Holland, contributed to the training of local priests, and the publication of liturgical literature in French and Dutch. He also took care of the Greek, Arab, Bulgarian and Romanian Orthodox parishes, giving them a special status. He contributed to the emergence of parishes of the Western Rite. Ordained a Spanish Orthodox priest for the Madrid Mission.
During his tenure as a diocesan bishop, a church was erected in the name of the holy righteous Job the Long-suffering in Brussels in memory of the Tsar-Martyr Nikolai Alexandrovich. According to the memoirs of contemporaries,
In everyday life, Vladyka was unpretentious: he wore vestments made of the cheapest fabric, put on sandals on his bare feet, and often walked barefoot at all, whatever the weather, giving his shoes to the poor. He was a true non-possessor, a follower of another great Russian saint - the Monk Nil of Sorsk. He was a man of God.
Vladyka John's activities were highly appreciated not only by many Orthodox people, but also by representatives of other confessions. There is a story about how a Catholic priest in Paris told his flock that there are miracles and saints in the modern world, as evidenced by the Russian Saint John Bosoy (saint Jean Pieds Nus) walking along the Parisian streets - he meant Vladyka John.
In 1962 he moved to the United States. At the end of the year, at the request of the spiritual children with whom he left Shanghai, he was instructed by the Synod Abroad to lead the San Francisco diocese. The local Russian community was deeply divided there.
With the arrival of Vladyka John the hope was pinned that he would be able to bring peace to the affairs of the Russian colony and resume work on the construction of the Cathedral in San Francisco. The arrival of the saint moved things off the ground, donations poured in abundantly, construction resumed. But this did not bring peace. Denunciations were sent to the Synod against Vladyka and a coalition of his opponents began to be organized, to which influential clerics of the "conservative" Synodal party joined - Archbishop Nikon (Rklitsky), Archbishop Anthony (Sinkevich) of Los Angeles, Archbishop Vitaly (Ustinov) of Canada, Archbishop Seraphim (Ivanov) and the secretary of the Synod, Protopresbyter Georgy Grabbe.
During this period, he was considered one of the main candidates for the post of head of the ROCOR Synod in the conditions when the aged Vladyka Anastasy led the church only nominally. However, Vladyka John faced intrigues from some church leaders who, almost immediately after his appointment to the pulpit, helped initiate proceedings against him on charges of financial irregularities during the construction of a cathedral in San Francisco. It was supported by some of the ROCOR bishops, among whom were Bishops Leonty (Filippovich), Savva (Sarachevich), Nektariy (Kontsevich), who came to the trial, as well as Archbishop Averky (Taushev). The consideration of the case in the San Francisco court in 1963 ended with the complete acquittal of Vladyka John.
On August 13, 1963, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR, after a long, over a year, comprehensive study of the San Francisco Troubles, decided to approve Archbishop. John (Maksimovich).
In response, in San Francisco on August 18, an "Extraordinary Meeting of the Initiative Group of Opponents of Archbishop. John ". At this meeting, the "Group for the Cleanliness of the Synod" declared that they were not alone, that "the American Union of Churches, which promised support, has already drawn attention to the entourage of Archbishop John." It should be noted that the American Union of Churches is composed primarily of representatives of Protestant denominations. Opponents of the saint did not skimp on slander, at the same meeting they accused the saint of the fact that for six months he has been negotiating with the Greek and Serbian Churches ... in order to go to one of them ... and for this very purpose he seeks to take possession of the property of the Cathedral of Sorrows ... ow. John surrounded himself with people with a communist past ”(ibid.) And so on.
Archbishop John was very strict about violations of traditional Orthodox piety. So, when he found out that some of the parishioners on the eve of Sunday Vigil were having fun at the ball on the occasion of the Halloween holiday, he went to the ball, silently walked around the hall and left the same silently. In the morning of the next day, he promulgated the decree "On the inadmissibility of participation in entertainment on the eve of Sunday and holiday services":
The sacred rules tell that the eves of the feast days should be spent by Christians in prayer and reverence, preparing to participate or attend the Divine Liturgy. If all Orthodox Christians are called to this, then all the more so for those directly taking part in the church service. Their participation in entertainment on the eve of the holidays is especially sinful. In view of this, those who were on the eve of Sunday or a holiday at a ball or similar entertainment and amusement cannot participate in the choir, serve, enter the altar and stand on the choir the next day.
He died on July 2, 1966 while praying in his cell during his visit to the St. Nicholas parish in Seattle in front of the Kursk Root miraculous icon of the Mother of God. The body lay in a coffin in the heat for 6 days, while there was no smell and, according to eyewitnesses, the hand of the deceased remained soft. Remains of St. John Maksimovich did not decay and are openly in the tomb of the cathedral. The Canonization Commission, which examined the relics of Vladyka John, found that they resemble the relics of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and the Orthodox East.
After his death, many believers confirmed in writing the facts of miracles that were performed through the prayer of Vladyka John. There is a chapel in the room where the saint died.
The question of his canonization was discussed in May 1993 at the ROCOR Council of Bishops. Only Archbishop Anthony (Sinkevich) spoke out against canonization, and Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov), the First Hierarch of the ROCOR, noted that “he used to hinder the glorification of Archbishop John, but now he does not want to be in opposition to glorification, leaving everything personal aside”. On May 7, the Council decided to glorify Saint John (together with Saints Innocent of Moscow and Nicholas of Japan), timing the glorification to the celebration in 1994 of the 200th anniversary of Orthodoxy in America. On May 13, it was decided to time the canonization to the day of the repose of Archbishop John - July 2, 1994.
On July 2, 1994, celebrations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia took place on the occasion of his canonization. Metropolitan Vitaly's sermon at the glorification of Archbishop John contained the following words:
We who are hungry and thirsty want to be satiated with the truth of God at the shrine of St. John. We came to him with a deep feeling of gratitude for the fact that for all of us, the weak and the weak, he was honored to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We always rejoice when someone manages to escape from the tenacious clutches of the prince of the world and become worthy of eternal bliss. Our gratitude to St. John also dissolves with a feeling of deep repentance. You, Father John, our saint, came out of our midst, you know us and our main inconsolable grief - Russia! So help me!
At the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church on June 24-29, 2008, he was glorified for general church veneration.
On January 9, 2015, the First Hierarch of the ROCOR, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, in response to the petition of the Presidium of the Cadet Associations of the Russian Cadet Corps abroad and the decision of the annual meeting of the New York Association of Foreign Cadets on October 24, 2014, "with joy and satisfaction" blessed the proclamation St. John the heavenly patron saint of Russian foreign cadets.
However, in 1955, Vladyka John published an appeal in which he praised the deed of some of the Palestinian monks who had not joined the Moscow Patriarchate at that time. In it he wrote:
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He disagreed with those who called the Moscow Patriarchate "the Soviet Church" or "the Red Church."
It is understandable when the expression “Soviet Church” is used by ordinary people who are not familiar with the church language, but it is inappropriate for responsible and theological conversations. When the entire hierarchy of Southwestern Russia passed into Uniatism, the Church continued to exist in the person of the believing Orthodox people, who, after many sufferings, restored their hierarchy. Therefore, it is more correct to speak not about the “Soviet Church”, which in the correct understanding of the word “Church” cannot exist, but about the hierarchy, which is in the service of the Soviet regime. The attitude towards her can be the same as towards other representatives of that government. Their dignity gives them the opportunity to act with great authority and replace the voice of the suffering Russian Church and misleads those who think from them to learn about the actual position of the Church in Russia. Of course, among them there are also deliberate traitors, and simply not finding the strength to fight the environment and going with the flow, it’s a question of their personal responsibility, but in general it’s the apparatus of Soviet power, the power of theomachy. Being with the same hierarchy in the liturgical area, for grace acts regardless of personal dignity, in the field of social and political it is a cover for Soviet theomachic activity. Therefore, those who are abroad and become in its ranks become conscious accomplices of that power.
