In 1711 Saint John the Russian was a soldier fighting a war against the Turks. He was captured and sold as a slave to a Turkish cavalry commander from the village of Procopion (modern-day Urgup) near Caesarea in Asia Minor. The blessed John was assigned to work in the stable where he was also told to sleep. The video below shows what remains of the two story house (now reduced to one over time).
The house where Saint John the Russian was a slave.
Weekly he prepared himself to partake of the Most Holy Mysteries in a nearby church, for he knew that without the strength of Christ he was powerless to persevere on the path of the true Faith. At night he would secretly go and keep vigil in the narthex of the church. The Lord rewarded the labors of His faithful servant and through him bestowed blessings also upon his Turkish master who became one of the wealthy and powerful men of Procopion. The video below shows this church in Urgup in an area known as Temenni.
The church where Saint John the Russian prayed.
