St. John Chrysostom
(Χρυσόστομος, the “Golden mouth”),
the Archbishop of Constantinople

(Commemorated November 13)


St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, is one of the Three Hierarchs (along with St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory the Theologian - January 30).


He was born in Antioch, Syria in about the year 347 A.D. into the family of a military commander. His father, Secundus, died soon after the birth of his son. His mother, Anthusa, widowed at 20 years of age, did not seek to remarry but rather devoted all her efforts to the raising of her son in Christian piety. The youth studied under the finest philosophers and rhetoricians. But, scorning the vain disciplines of pagan knowledge, the future hierarch turned himself to the profound study of Holy Scripture and prayerful contemplation. St. Meletios, Bishop of Antioch (February 12), loved John like a son, guided him in the Faith, and in the year 367 baptized him.

After 3 years John was tonsured as a Reader. The highly refined Diodoros had particular influence upon the youth. When John’s mother died, he embraced monasticism, which he called the “true philosophy,” with the purest motives.

During this period John wrote his “Six Discourses on the Priesthood,” a great work of Orthodox pastoral theology.

The Saint spent 4 years struggling in the wilderness, living the ascetic life under the guidance of an experienced spiritual guide. And there he wrote 3 more books.

For 2 years, the Saint lived in a cave in complete silence, but was obliged to return to Antioch to recover his health. St. Meletios, the Bishop of Antioch, ordained him deacon in the year 381.

The following years were devoted to work on more new theological writings.
In the year 386 John was ordained presbyter (priest) by Bishop Flavian of Antioch. John was a splendid preacher, and his inspired words earned him the name “Golden-Mouthed” (“Chrysostom.”) For 12 years the Saint preached in Church, usually twice a week, but sometimes daily, deeply stirring the hearts of his listeners.


In his pastoral zeal to provide Christians with a better understanding of Holy Scripture, John employed hermeneutics, which is an interpretation and analysis of the Word of God (i.e. exegesis). Among his exegetical works are commentaries on entire books of the Holy Scripture (Genesis, the Psalter, the Gospels of Matthew and John, the Epistles of the Apostle Paul), etc.

As a priest, John zealously fulfilled the Lord’s command to care for the needy. Under John, the Antiochian Church provided sustenance each day to as many as 3,000 virgins and widows, not including in this number were wanderers and the sick.



The fame of the holy preacher grew, and in the year 397 John Chrysostom was summoned from Antioch, and elected to the See (Archbishop) of Constantinople.

Many matters awaited the Saint’s attention, and he began with the most important -- the spiritual perfection of the priesthood. He himself was the best example of this.

The financial means given for the archbishop were channeled by the Saint into the upkeep of several hospices for the sick and two hostels for pilgrims.

He fasted strictly and ate very little food, and usually refused invitations to dine because of his delicate stomach.

The Saint’s zeal in spreading the Christian Faith extended not only to the inhabitants of Constantinople, but also to Thrace to include Slavs and Goths, and to Asia Minor and the Pontine region.

He established a bishop for the Bosphorus Church in the Crimea. John sent off zealous missionaries to Phoenicia, to Persia, and to the Scythians, to convert pagans to Christ. He also wrote letters to Syria to bring back the Marcionites into the Church, and he accomplished this.

Preserving the unity of the Church, the Saint would not permit a powerful Gothic military commander, who wanted the Emperor to reward his bravery in battle, to open an Arian church at Constantinople.

The Saint exerted much effort in enhancing the splendour of the church services: he compiled a Liturgy, he introduced antiphonal singing for the all-night Vigil, and he wrote several prayers for the rite of anointing the sick with oil.


The saintly hierarch denounced the lack of morals of people in the capital, especially at the imperial court, irrespective of person.

When the Empress Eudoxia connived to confiscate the last properties of the widow and children of a disgraced dignitary, the Saint rose to their defence.

The arrogant Empress would not relent, and nursed a grudge against the archpastor John.

Eudoxia’s hatred of the Saint blazed forth anew when criminals told her that the Saint apparently had her in mind during his sermon on vain women. A court was convened composed of hierarchs who had been justly condemned by Chrysostom.

This court of judgment declared John deposed, and that he be executed for his insult to the Empress. The Emperor decided on exile instead of execution.

Reached Capacity:

свернуть