Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Saint of the Russian Diaspora (1896 - 1966)
Biography
Archbishop John was born on June 4, 1896 in Adamovka, Kharkov Province, on the estate of the Maksimovichi, and was named Michael in holy baptism.
After the Poltava Cadet Corps, Mikhail Maksimovich dreamed of getting a spiritual education, but at the insistence of his parents he entered Kharkov University at the Faculty of Law, which he graduated in 1918. The church life of Kharkov in his student years was an island of Holy Rus'. The ruling Bishop was Archbishop Anthony Khrapovitsky, who "became forever the leader of his spiritual life."
After a short legal practice, he left Crimea with his parents at the end of the civil war in November 1920. The Maksimovich family settled in Serbia and Mikhail entered the Belgrade University at the Faculty of Theology. Communication with Metropolitan Anthony was never interrupted.
In 1924 he was ordained a reader by Metropolitan Anthony, in 1925 he graduated from the Faculty of Theology, in 1926 he was tonsured a monk with the name of John, in honor of St. John of Tobolsk, his distant ancestor. Having taken the tonsure, Father John began to lead a strict ascetic life, did not sleep on the bed, rested in an armchair or on a chair.
From 1927 to 1934, Hieromonk John taught at the Seminary of St. Apostle John the Theologian in Bitola. The Ohrid diocese was ruled by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian Chrysostom. He greatly appreciated and loved the young monk and said: "If you want to see a living saint, drink in Bitol to Father John." This ascetic amazed everyone with his deeds, prayed constantly, served the Divine Liturgy daily, and ate once a day late in the evening.
On June 9, 1934, the rite of naming took place and on June 10, consecration as a bishop with an appointment in Shanghai. Vladyka John created a shelter in Shanghai named after St. Tikhon Zadonsky, where thousands of homeless children were gathered.
In 1946, Bishop John was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
In 1949, with the advent of communist power, Archbishop John took his flock to the Philippines, to the island of Tubabao.
In 1950, the Council of Bishops appointed Vladyka John to govern the Western European diocese. Vladyka arrived in Paris in 1951 and bore the title of Parisian and Western European. In 1952, Vladyka became the rector of the Memorial Church and took the title of Brussels and Western European. For twelve years Archbishop John was the rector of the Temple.
Vladyka paid special attention to the lives of the ancient Orthodox saints of Western Europe. The Council of Bishops approved Vladyka's proposal to venerate these saints, and Vladyka John issued a decree on April 23, 1953, on the veneration of the ancient saints of the West.
After the glorification of St. Denmark and Sweden Anstaria, Vladyka called to commemorate the saints of God, who are the patrons of the country or the place where the services take place. Within Paris, the Hieromartyr Dionysius and the Monk Genovef, the Monk Clotuald are to be commemorated; in Lyon, the Hieromartyr Irenaeus; in Marseilles, the Martyr Victor and the Monk Cassian; and in Tours, Saint Martin. In Ireland - St. Patrick, in Italy - the martyr Justus, St. Ambrose of Milan, in Switzerland - St. Roman, St. Felix. All Vladyka's travels turned into pilgrimages, and he went to venerate the relics of local ancient Orthodox saints. All Western countries now have icons of local saints.
In Belgium, the monastery in Flanders "Holy Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow" organizes an annual pilgrimage to ancient Orthodox saints.
With the blessing of Vladyka, biography materials of St. Herman of Alaska and the Aleut Martyr Peter were collected. The glorification took place in 1970, after the death of Vladyka John.
In 1962, the Synod appoints Archbishop John of San Francisco and Vladyka continues to govern the Western European Diocese. Great troubles occurred with the construction of the Temple in San Francisco, and Vladyka found himself in the dock. In 1963, the court acquitted Vladyka and the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos Joy of All Who Sorrow was completed in 1964. In February 1964, Archbishop John came to Europe to say goodbye to his flock. On June 19, 1966, Vladyka John served the Divine Liturgy in Seattle. Back in May, Vladyka said, “I will die not in San Francisco, but in Seattle.” After the Liturgy, Vladyka prayed for three hours at the altar, went up to his room, and died painlessly in front of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God. On the day of the funeral on July 7, Metropolitan Filaret said that Vladyka John was “a miracle of ascetic fortitude. » After the funeral, the coffin was placed in the tomb of the new Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos of Joy of All Who Sorrow.
Testimonies of the prayerful help of St. John have been printed.* In July 1994, the glorification of Archbishop John of Shanghai and San Francisco took place. The spiritual children of Vladyka came from all over the world for this Great Triumph of Orthodoxy.
The lower temple of the Cathedral, a former tomb, is named in honor of the Uncovering of the relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco miracle worker. *St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Publishing House of the Sretensky Monastery 2008 Compiled by Archpriest Peter Perekrestov "Vladyka John the Prelate of the Russian Abroad" Biographer Bernard LE CARO Geneva Switzerland, translation from French into Russian "Saint Jean de Changhai " Bernard Le CaroEdition L'Age d 'Homme 2006