Homily on the Feast of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered in 1958)

Oh, how great, oh how glorious is the name of the beloved disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ - the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.

I think that if our Lord Jesus Christ called His Forerunner and Baptist the greatest of all those born of women, then after this the greatest one would be the beloved disciple of the Lord Jesus, and after him the great Foremost Apostle Paul.

All the Apostles of Christ accomplished an immeasurably great deed: they entered into warfare, into mortal warfare with the darkness of this world. They dispersed this darkness - pagan darkness, terrible darkness - the darkness of innumerable sins.

Homily on the Repose of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on September 26/October 9, 1951)

Have you ever thought about how vast, how infinite, is the greatness of the apostles?

Have you thought about how immeasurable their power was?

Have you thought about what great strength of spirit, what courage these chosen ones of Christ, these brothers of Christ, these friends of Him possessed?

Have you thought about the fact that our God, who knows the hearts, chose as His disciples those whose hearts were the purest, the most ardent, the most capable of containing all the depth and all the greatness of the teaching of Christ?

The Cliffside Cave Chapel of Saint John the Theologian in Naxos

Just outside Chora in Naxos, like an eagle's nest hanging from the steep cliffs, there is a small and picturesque chapel. The pale white touch on the gray of the granite rocks, located north of the Monastery of Saint John Chrysostom from the 17th century, is dedicated to Saint John the Theologian, which is also known as Theologaki by the locals, while it has also been associated with Nikos Kazantzakis.

Homily on the Disciple of Love for the Feast of the Metastasis of Saint John the Theologian

 By Archimandrite Demetrios Politakis,
Preacher of the Sacred Archdiocese of Crete

Today our Church celebrates the memory of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian, the youngest of the twelve Apostles and the beloved disciple of Jesus.

Today our Church celebrates John whom she duly honors and calls him Apostle, Evangelist, Theologian, Beloved, Virgin, that is, pure in soul and body, nicknames that have as a principle, as a basis, the great virtue of sincere love.

In the tradition of more than twenty centuries, our Church has given him the title of Theologian, which she has given to only three Saints: Saint Gregory the Theologian, Saint Symeon the New Theologian and Saint John the Theologian.

The Amazing Miracle of Marmaketo: An Annual Paschal Miracle in Crete on the Feast of Saint John the Theologian

Every year, on May 8th, the feast day of Saint John the Theologian, crowds of believers from all over Crete arrive at the small village of Marmaketo, at the Lasithi Plateau, to participate in the annual miracle of Marmaketo.

At the Church of Saint John the Theologian, on Great Friday of Holy Week, the process for this miracle which will culminate on May 8th begins. On Great Friday morning, the women of Marmaketo gather some wild orchids, called Paschal Flowers, from the fields. They then meet at the church and decorate the Epitaphion with the wild orchids, along with various other flowers from their gardens.

No, Lazarus Was Not the "Beloved Disciple" of the Gospel of John

The phrase "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (ὁ μαθητὴς ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς) or, in John 20:2; "the disciple beloved of Jesus" (μαθητὴν ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς), is used six times in the Gospel of John, but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. John 21:24 states that the Gospel of John is based on the written testimony of this disciple. The tradition of the Church has been that this "Beloved Disciple" is John the Evangelist, one of the Twelve Disciples of Christ.

Some modern scholars have offered an alternative possibility: the Beloved Disciple is Lazarus of Bethany, based on John 11:5: "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus", and John 11:3: "Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick." Furthermore, the character of the Beloved Disciple is not mentioned before the raising of Lazarus (Lazarus being raised in John 11, while the Beloved Disciple is first mentioned in John 13).

The Original Copy of the Gospel of John in Ephesus?

The Apostle John writing his Gospel

 

The Chronicon Paschale is a seventh century Christian chronicle of the history of the world written in Greek, probably in Constantinople, whose anonymous author called it an Epitome of the ages from Adam the first man to the 20th year of the reign of the most August Heraclius.  

 

The work starts with an extract from Philo, On the Life of Moses, Book 3.  Then it says, “So much for Philo”, and tells us that after the fall of Jerusalem under Vespasian, various ecclesiastical writers discussed the question of the date of Easter, including Peter of Alexandria, an unknown Tricentius, the great Athanasius, and Epiphanios. We then pass into material on the subject itself, beginning with Peter of Alexandria from his lost work on Easter, written towards the end of the third century.

 

Metastasis of Saint John the Theologian: Epistle and Gospel Reading

 

Metastasis of the Holy and Glorious Apostle and 

Evangelist John the Theologian

September 26

Matins Gospel Reading

Gospel According to John 21:14-25

English

The At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me." Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" So, the word went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die; but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Saint John the Theologian and the Poisoned Chalice

Acts of Saint John the Evangelist

(Chs. 10-11)

Now when Aristodemus, who was chief priest of all those idols, saw this, filled with a wicked spirit, he stirred up sedition among the people, so that one people prepared themselves to fight against the other. And John turned to him and said: "Tell me, Aristodemus, what can I do to take away the anger from thy soul?" And Aristodemus said: "If thou wilt have me believe in thy God, I will give thee poison to drink, and if thou drink it, and die not, it will appear that thy God is true." The apostle answered: "If thou give me poison to drink, when I call on the name of my Lord, it will not be able to harm me." Aristodemus said again: "I will that thou first see others drink it and die straightway that so thy heart may recoil from that cup." And the blessed John said: "I have told thee already that I am prepared to drink it that thou mayest believe on the Lord Jesus Christ when thou seest me whole after the cup of poison."

Aristodemus therefore went to the proconsul and asked of him two men who were to undergo the sentence of death. And when he had set them in the midst of the marketplace before all the people, in the sight of the apostle he made them drink the poison: and as soon as they had drunk it, they gave up the ghost.

Synaxis of the Holy Dust That Came From the Tomb of Saint John the Theologian: Epistle and Gospel Reading

Synaxis of the Holy Dust That Came From the Tomb of Saint John the Theologian

May 8

Matins Gospel Reading

Gospel According to John 21:15-25

English

At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me." Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

The Poison and the Cross: A Tale from the Life of Saint John the Theologian

By St. Prochoros, Disciple of the Apostle John

(Acts of John the Apostle)

There was at that time a certain Christian who had fallen into destitution, and he had nothing with which to pay back his creditors. In great distress he thought to kill himself and asked a certain sorcerer, a Jew, to give him some deadly poison. That enemy of Christians and friend of demons carried out the request and gave him a fatal potion.

Taking the potion, the Christian returned to his home, but long he considered and was afraid, not knowing what to do. Finally, making the sign of the Cross over the cup, he drank it and felt not the least harm therefrom, for the sign of the Cross had taken all the poison from the cup. He marveled much that he remained healthy and felt no ill effects.

Synaxis of Saint John the Theologian in the Biatos or Beotos

Verses

The child of thunder greatly sounded again,
In Biatos where his house stands.

It is not certain today where Biatos or Beotos is, as indicated by the confusion of how the place is pronounced in the Synaxarion of Constantinople, however it probably refers to a district in or around Constantinople where a church dedicated to Saint John the Theologian stood. On the 10th of July, this church celebrated its Synaxis.

Holy Hieromartyr Eutychios, Bishop of Melitene

St. Eutyches of Melitene (Feast Day - May 28)

Verses

As a fortunate one you gained fortune thrice-blessed one,
Of your divine allotment prepared for you Eutychios.
On the twenty-eighth Eutychios was carried up.

Almost nothing is known of the Holy Hieromartyr Eutychios, called Eutyches in some sources. He lived during the first centuries of Christianity, when Christianity was persecuted by the pagan Romans, and he served as the Bishop of Melitene. One source tells us that he voluntarily presented himself before the ruler of the city and refused to sacrifice to the idols, confessing Jesus Christ as the true God, for which reason he was tortured then martyred by being cast into the sea and drowning.

Saint Martha of Monemvasia, Abbess of the Most Holy Theotokos Monastery

St. Martha of Monemvasia (Feast Day - May 5)

The life of Saint Martha, Abbess of the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos in Monemvasia, situated below the Church of the Hodegetria, was written for us by Bishop Paul of Monemvasia in the tenth century. She was a very virtuous woman who suffered from a hemorrhage. For this reason she lived in the upper gallery of the church of the monastery.

One day a certain elder monk came to see her at the monastery. He was sent up to Martha in the upper gallery and asked her for one of her garments. She told him that she had only two garments due to her hemorrhage, one that she she wore while the other was in the laundry needing to be washed from the flow of blood. Nonetheless, due to her good nature, Martha gave the old man her washed garment. With this, the old man gratefully departed. However, as soon as the old man left, Martha noticed that her hemorrhage had ceased. Recognizing this to be a miracle, she sent a few nuns to go and get the old monk, but he was nowhere to be found.

Holy Hieromartyr Eutyches, Disciple of Saint John the Theologian

St. Eutychos the Hieromartyr (Feast Day - August 24 & May 30)

Verses

Although Eutyches did not give up his spirit during the contest,
He contested and received the reward of an athlete.
On the twenty-fourth Eutyches was covered over by a stone.

Saint Eutyches was a disciple of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and was full of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

In the Acts of the Apostle John, attributed to John's disciple Prochoros, we read the following about the close relationship between the Apostle John and Saint Eutyches:

Synaxis of the Holy Dust That Proceeds From the Tomb of Saint John the Theologian

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Holy Dust of St. John the Theologian (Feast Day - May 8)

Verses

Not food but dust is dispensed for humanity,
Namely the Manna of your tomb O initiate of the Lord.
On the eighth is celebrated the blossoming of the son of thunder.

Our All-Good and Philanthropic Lord, not only glorified His Saints, who eagerly struggled for their love of Him, such as His sacred Disciples and Apostles, as well as His Prophets and Martyrs, and all those who pleased Him, and He made them worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the eternal good things, but even the places where they lived and were buried, these also, I say, He showed to be full of divine grace, and He makes them shine with many miracles. Likewise He has dispersed His grace on the tomb of John the Theologian, who we celebrate today. The tomb of this great Evangelist, in which he was buried, after having lived 120 years, during the reign of Trajan, when he was destined to be transposed, this tomb, I say, every year suddenly gushes forth until today dust, which locals call Manna, in a divine and paradoxical manner, and taking it, they use it to free themselves of all their sufferings, for the healing of their souls, and the health of their body, glorifying God and His attendant John.

Saint Gregory of Neocaesaria's Revelation of the True Faith

Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (ca. 213-270, also known as Gregory of Neocaesarea or Gregory the Wonderworker) is commemorated on November 17. When he become Bishop of Caesarea, there were only 17 Christians in a city full of pagans. When he died, there were only 17 pagans left in that region. As his name states, there were many wonders done by the Spirit through Gregory. Saint Gregory of Nyssa said that Gregory of Thaumaturgus was the first person known to receive a vision of the Theotokos. In that vision, the Theotokos and the Apostle John gave him a statement of doctrine on the Trinity.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes in his Life of Saint Gregory:

Life of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

St. John the Theologian (Feast Days - September 26 & May 8)

Verses

Standing beside the beloved Word of the Father,

Is he who was beloved more than all of the disciples.

On the twenty sixth the child of thunder departed unto God.

The holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian was the son of Zebedee and Salome, the daughter of Joseph the Betrothed, and he was called away from his fisherman’s nets to preach the Gospel. When our Lord Jesus Christ, walking along the Sea of Galilee, chose His apostles from amongst the fishermen and had already summoned the two brethren, Peter and Andrew, He then caught sight of two other brothers, James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were mending their nets in a boat with their father, and called them. Straightway, abandoning their boat and their father, they followed after Jesus Christ.

Saint John the Theologian Resource Page

St. John the Theologian (Feast Day - September 26 & May 8)

 

The Life of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

 

Metastasis of Saint John the Theologian: Epistle and Gospel Reading

  

Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian as a Model for our Lives 

 

May: Day 8: Teaching 1: Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

 

Saint John the Theologian and the Poisoned Chalice 

 

The Repose of St. John the Theologian According to His Disciple Prochorus 

 

The Apostle John and the Convert Who Returned To His Former Way Of Life 

 

When St. John the Theologian Faced the Magician Kynops on the Island of Patmos 

 

The Poison and the Cross: A Tale from the Life of Saint John the Theologian 

 

Homily on the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (St. Gregory Palamas) 

 

The Lives of the Four Evangelists (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem) 

 

September: Day 26: Teaching 1: The Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

 

Homily on the Day of the Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily on the Repose of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian (St. Luke of Simferopol)

Homily on the Feast of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily One on the Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov) 

 

Homily on the Disciple of Love for the Feast of the Metastasis of Saint John the Theologian

 

Synaxis of the Holy Dust That Proceeds From the Tomb of Saint John the Theologian 

 

Synaxis of the Holy Dust That Came From the Tomb of Saint John the Theologian: Epistle and Gospel Reading 

 

The "Manna" of Saint John the Theologian 

 

The Basilica of the Apostle John in Ephesus 

 

Ecumenical Patriarch At the Tomb of the Apostle John 

 

Ecumenical Patriarch In Ephesus and Alacati (videos) 

 

My Pilgrimage To The Tomb of Saint John the Apostle In Ephesus

 

The Amazing Miracle of Marmaketo: An Annual Paschal Miracle in Crete on the Feast of Saint John the Theologian 

 

Synaxis of Saint John the Theologian in the Biatos or Beotos 

 

Why We Read the Gospel of John After Pascha and Not Before 

 

A Theological Comparison of Patmos and Sinai 

 

The Wildest Monsters of the Apocalypse 

 

Saint Christodoulos Latrinos of Patmos 

 

Patmos: Its Monastery and Passion Play (1904) 

 

Saint John the Theologian and Patmos (video) 

 

The Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos (video) 

 

Was a Portion of the Book of Revelation Written on the Greek island of Kythera?

 

When St. Leontios of Jerusalem Gained the Respect of Pirates 

 

Saint Peter the Patrician (+ 854) 

 

Saint Martha of Monemvasia, Abbess of the Most Holy Theotokos Monastery 

 

When Saint Porphyrios Visited the Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos

 

The Holy Theologian of the Mountain (Kos) 

 

The Cliffside Cave Chapel of Saint John the Theologian in Naxos

 

Did St. John the Theologian Recently Appear to a Muslim in Kos? 

 

Saint Gregory of Neocaesaria's Revelation of the True Faith 

  

The Original Copy of the Gospel of John in Ephesus? 

 

Justin Martyr and the Fourth Gospel 

 

Why We Read the Gospel of John After Pascha and Not Before