St. John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, the greatest and most beloved of all Christian orators was born in Antioch about the year 347. Saint John was surnamed Chrysostom ("Golden-mouth") because of his eloquence. He made exhaustive commentaries on the divine Scriptures and was the author of more works than any other Church Father, leaving us complete commentaries on the Book of Genesis, the Gospels of Saints Matthew and John, the Acts, and all the Epistles of Saint Paul. His extant works are 1,447 sermons and 240 epistles. Twenty-two teachers of the Church have written homilies of praise in his honour. He is celebrated as one of the Three Hierarchs on January 30, together with Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory the Theologian.
St John’s greatest work is his Divine Liturgy, the most celebrated liturgy in the Byzantine Rite and celebrated on most Sundays and Feast Days, throughout the year.
His father, Secundus, died shortly after his birth, leaving his mother, Anthusa, widowed at the age of twenty. She devoted herself to bringing up John in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In 370, John was ordained a reader and chose to dedicate himself to God. He spent some years living the monastic life and in 381 he was ordained a deacon, then in 386, John was ordained a presbyter of the Church of Antioch. Upon his elevation to the priesthood his career as a public preacher began, and his exceptional oratorical gifts were made manifest through his many sermons and commentaries. They are distinguished by their eloquence and the remarkable ease with which rich imagery and scriptural allusions are multiplied; by their depth of insight into the meaning of Scripture and the workings of God's providence; and, not least of all, by their earnestness and moral force, which issue from the heart of a blameless and guileless man who lived first what he preached to others. Because of his fame, he was chosen to succeed Saint Nectarius as Patriarch of Constantinople in 398.
As Patriarch, he emphasised charitable giving and was concerned with the spiritual and temporal needs of the poor. He spoke against abuse of wealth and personal property. His straightforward understanding of the Scriptures, meant that the themes of his talks were practical, explaining the Bible's application to everyday life. Such straightforward preaching helped Chrysostom to garner popular support. He adamantly refused to host lavish social gatherings, which made him popular with the common people, but unpopular with wealthy citizens and the clergy. His reforms of the clergy were also unpopular. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were meant to be serving—without any pay-out. He also founded a number of hospitals in Constantinople.
His teachings and denunciations of extravagance made him unpopular with the Emperor Arcadius and his wife Eudoxia. In concert with the Patriarch of Alexandria, Theophilus who wanted to bring Constantinople under his sway, John was banished to Pontus in 403, but was quickly reconciled. This did not last long as John was once again banished to Pityus near the Caucasus. On the journey, he gave up his soul to the Lord near Comana in Pontus, at the chapel of the Martyr Basiliscus. His last words were “Glory be to God for all things”.
St. John is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and the Lutheran Church.