John of Shanghai and San Francisco

John of Shanghai on his arrival in Shanghai

John of Shanghai and San Francisco (secular name Mikhail Borisovich Maximowitsch , Russian Михаил Борисович Максимович ; born June 4 ^jul. / 16th June  1896 ^greg. In the village Adamiwka in Kharkov Governorate (now Ukraine), † 2. July 1966 in Seattle ) was bishop of the Russian Church Abroad and is a saint of the Orthodox Church . He is revered as a miracle worker by many Orthodox Christians .

Life

Mikhail is from the Maximowitsch family, who also comes from John of Tobolsk (1651-1715) , who was also canonized in the Orthodox Church . The father Mikhail was a noble marshal and his uncle was rector of the University of Kiev . From 1907 to 1914 he attended the Poltava Military School , and in 1918 graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Kharkov . In 1921, during the Russian Civil War , the family came to Belgrade , where Michail studied theology at the university there until 1925. In 1924 he was ordained a lecturer in the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Antoni Khrapovitsky . In 1926 he received the tonsure as Johannes as a monk and on November 21 of the same year he was ordained a monk priest. From 1925 to 1927 he was a religion teacher at a Serbian state school and from 1929 to 1934 he was a teacher and tutor at the Serbian seminary of St. John the Theologian in Bitola , where he also celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Greek . Bitola belonged to the Diocese of Ochrid , in which Nikolaj Velimirović was bishop at the time . The bishop, canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church , is said to have often said: "If you want to see a living saint, go to Bitola to see Father John." The ascetic priest monk also made a strong impression on the students .

On May 28, 1934, Johannes was ordained bishop by Metropolitan Antoni Chrapowizki . The monk, who had a speech impediment, initially protested the appointment, but then complied in obedience to his superiors. The physically small and weak-looking Bishop Johannes was sent to Shanghai . There he came across a church that had fallen out due to a jurisdiction conflict and an unfinished cathedral church . Furthermore, a large number of the Orthodox believers, many of whom were refugees from the Soviet Union , lived in precarious conditions. The bishop tried to help the people and founded, among other things, an orphanage, in which a total of 3,500 children found refuge over time. Bishop Johannes himself lived very simply, only wore cheap Chinese clothes and often went barefoot, which also earned him criticism. During the time of the Japanese occupation , the Russian-speaking community came under great pressure, in this situation the bishop declared himself head of the Russian colony for a limited time.

With the rule of communism in China , the bishop fled to the Philippines with most of the Russians . In 1951, Bishop John was sent to Western Europe, first to Paris and then to Brussels . Here he turned his attention not only to the Russian diaspora , but also to the local population. Just as he used to celebrate in Greek or Chinese, he now also celebrated the liturgy in Dutch or French . He also incorporated Western saints from before the Eastern Schism into the Orthodox calendar.

In 1962 Bishop Johannes was sent to San Francisco and there to see the archbishop. In San Francisco he encountered a situation similar to that in Shanghai 28 years earlier: a divided Russian community and an unfinished cathedral. As in Shanghai, the now archbishop managed to establish peace and complete the construction of the cathedral. In San Francisco, however, the archbishop was also attacked and brought to court for alleged embezzlement of community property, but was completely exonerated there. In the last years of his life, two character traits of the bishop became clearly visible: on the one hand, a strictness in liturgical matters or in the observance of fasting commandments, on the other hand, friendliness and cheerfulness. In 1966 he died unexpectedly for many on a visit to Seattle , but he is said to have foreseen his death.

Way of life, miracles and worship

John of Shanghai was a great ascetic, he is said to have eaten only once a day and only slept three hours at night and never lying down. In the first and last days of the Great Lent , he is said not to have eaten at all. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy every day, even when he was sick. If for some reason he was unable to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, he received communion . There are many stories about John of Shanghai, which, among other things, testify to his great trust in God. A woman who was seriously ill with rabies is said to have spat out Holy Communion. The bishop is said to have picked them up and ate them himself. When the bystanders indicated that rabies is very contagious, the bishop replied: "Nothing will happen, these are the holy gifts." The bishop is also said to have the gift of clairvoyance. Once he wanted to bring communion to an old prisoner in prison. Before he got to the old man, he met a young man in prison. He took him over and told him that he wanted to give him communion. The man came, confessed, and received the Holy Gifts. The priest who was out with the bishop asked him why he had given communion to the young man and not the old man. Bishop Johannes replied: "He (the young man) will die this night, but the other, who is seriously ill, will live for many years to come." This is how it should have happened. Numerous healings from illnesses during his lifetime and after his death are attributed to John of Shanghai. His canonization by the Russian Orthodox Church abroad took place on July 2, 1994, by the Russian Orthodox Church on July 2, 2008. His memorial days according to the Gregorian calendar are July 2 and October 12 (discovery of the bones) .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Fr. Seraphim Rose and Abbot Herman: Saint John The Wonderworker ( Memento of the original of February 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Retrieved October 16, 2012.  
2. ↑ Bishop Alexander (Mileant): Archbishop John the Wonderworker ; Retrieved October 16, 2012.

Web links

• Holy Hierarch John, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, the Miracle Worker