St. John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom was born in Antioch around 347. Because of his brilliant preaching he was surnamed Chrysostomos, Greek for “golden-mouthed.” John’s father was a high-ranking officer in the Syrian army, but he died soon after John was born. John’s mother Anthusa sent him to the best schools in Antioch and raised him to be devout. Through the influence of the bishop Meletius, John began devoting himself more to prayer and the study of Scripture. Like so many people at this time, John’s baptism was deferred until he was a young adult; he had been studying Scripture three years before he received this Sacrament of Christian Initiation. After his baptism, John entered in a monastery and then became hermit, but his health could not stand the rigorous fasting and he returned to the city. Around 381, Meletius ordained him as a deacon. He was ordained to the priesthood in 386 and soon became widely known for his preaching and writing. From 386 to 398 he wrote his most important works; he explained Scripture to his flock in great detail. In 398, John was made Bishop of Constantinople due to the insistence of the emperor; this was an unlikely appointment, for everyone had thought John would someday be bishop of Antioch. John immediately began reforming his new See; he required the clergy, the consecrated virgins and widows to live properly according to their vows. He restricted spending in his own household and with the money saved, he built a hospital for the poor. He rebuked the wealthy and the nobility for their immoral lifestyles and defended the poor against the injustices of the wealthy, including the empress. He won the hearts of the poor and even some of the wealthy, but many in high places turned against him. Theophilus who had aspired to be Bishop of Constantinople falsely accused John of Origenism, denouncing the empress and several other false charges and succeeded in getting the Empress to banish him; she soon revoked the order. However, when John denounced the excess of the public games held in honor of the Empress, the Emperor Aracadius ordered him into exile; the people of Constantinople were strongly against this mistreatment of their bishop, but to no avail. John died of exhaustion on September 14, 407 after having been forced to march to a yet more distance place of exile. The Council of Chalcedon declared him a Doctor of the Universal Church in 451. St. John Chrysostom is the patron of preachers; his feast is September 13.