Feast of St. John Chrysostom
The Feast of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on September 13 by the Roman Catholic Church in honor of one of early Christianity's most influential figures. St. John, born in Antioch between 344 and 347, was known for his remarkable oratory skills, earning the nickname "Chrysostom," meaning "golden-mouthed." After initially pursuing a career in law, he chose a monastic life, dedicating himself to biblical studies and charity work, which earned him the title "John the Almoner." He became the archbishop of Constantinople in 398, where he advocated for the poor and sought reform within the church, leading to conflict with political authorities and his eventual exile. The Roman Catholic Church, along with Syrian rite Catholics, observes his feast on September 13, while various Eastern Orthodox churches commemorate him on different dates, including January 27 and November 13. His extensive contributions to Christian literature, including sermons and letters, solidified his legacy, resulting in his recognition as a patron saint of orators and a revered doctor of the church. St. John Chrysostom's life and teachings continue to inspire many within the Christian faith.
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Feast of St. John Chrysostom
Feast of St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople and one of the most learned men of the early church, is fêted on September 13 by the Roman Catholic Church. John, the son of the commander of the Roman imperial army in Syria, was born at Antioch sometime between 344 and 347, and he significantly influenced Christian thought during his lifetime. He was not called Chrysostom (Greek for “golden-mouthed”) until about 680. By that time, his reputation as one of the most brilliant orators of his age had survived him by nearly three centuries, and a church council decided to honor him by adding the name Chrysostom.
When John was old enough, he studied oratory under a Roman rhetorician and decided to become a lawyer. However, he felt called to the religious life and gave up law to devote himself to the study of the Bible. After his mother's death around the year 375, John retired to the desert near Antioch and lived in the simplest possible manner as a monk. However, the rigors of his asceticism brought on an illness and he was forced to return to Antioch after several years. John was ordained as a deacon in 381 and as a priest five years later. His inspired preaching attracted wide attention over the next two decades, and he was consecrated archbishop of Constantinople in 398. John used the greater part of the revenues of his office for charity and came to be known as John the Almoner because of his concern for the poor. He also sought to bring about reforms in the life of the clergy and criticized the wealthy, particularly the court of the East Roman empress Eudoxia and her husband the emperor Arcadius, for their lack of charity. In the process John aroused the enmity of both his ecclesiastical and political superiors.
The result was that he was deposed from his archbishopric on false charges by an illegal synod and banished from Constantinople. John was eventually exiled to a little town in the Armenian highlands. There he was received kindly by the resident bishop, continued his Christian work among the people, and was frequently visited by his friends. Several years later, John was ordered into still more distant exile, this time to a town on the coast of the Black Sea hundreds of miles away and at the very edge of the Eastern Roman Empire. Already ill, John set out on foot to make the journey, but after traveling for three months he could go no farther. He died at the chapel of Basiliscus, six miles from Comana in the Roman province of Pontus on September 14, 407.
Since its calendar reform of 1969, the Roman Catholic Church has observed the Feast of St. John Chrysostom on September 13, the day before his death in the year 407. Syrian rite Catholics also observe this date. Those Episcopalians who mark the feast do so on an optional basis on January 27, the anniversary of the transfer of the saint's remains to Constantinople in 438. This was also the date observed by Roman Catholics from the 13th century until their calendar revision. Eastern Orthodox churches similarly commemorate the saint on January 27 and on other dates as well, including November 13, which is the date on which Byzantine and Coptic Catholics observe his feast. Some Russian Orthodox churches commemorate the saint on the anniversary of his death on September 14.
Not until after his death was John's name officially restored to honor. In the year 438 his body was returned to Constantinople and the new emperor, Theodosius II, did penance for his parents' offense. The legacy of John Chrysostom included a large number of sermons, homilies, commentaries on scripture, treatises, and more than 200 letters. Declared the patron saint of orators by the Roman Catholic Church on July 8, 1908, St. John Chrysostom is revered as a doctor of the church and as a church father by both Roman Catholics and the churches of the East. The Episcopal Church honors him by including one of his prayers in its order of service.