St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco

As a tonsured reader, I am blessed to be given the opportunity to actively read and chant the hymns of the divine services.

Each service, though quite complex, is truly a work of art, masterfully piecing together accounts from the life of each saint commemorated.

After the Gospel reading during the Orthros service (also called Matins), the canons, which are structured selections of 9 Odes, are typically read. Each canon, written for particular saints or feast days, poetically describes historical events, spiritual struggles, virtues acquired through asceticism, and miracles performed.

After the sixth ode, there is a section of text that is read from a work called the Synaxarion. The Synaxarion names each known saint and often a very brief line of poetry accounting their struggles or repose.

While reading the Synaxarion, I typically see a range of historical dates, throughout various centuries of rich ancient history. Very often, I think of the saints as ancient Hierarchs, ascetics, or martyrs who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago, in a time much simpler and far removed from our own.

This day, however, is the repose of a great saint of OUR age, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco who was not from ancient history, but rather, less than 100 years ago: June 19th, 1966 (July 2nd, New Style).

St. John was a beacon of light and hope in our troubled times, founding numerous churches (Including my childhood cathedral in Washington D.C.), performing countless miracles, serving Divine Liturgy daily, and administering to the Orthodox in need on a global scale, having served as a bishop in jurisdictions across Europe, Asia, and America.

You can find more about his life, some of his sermons, and other content about St. John here.

Apolytikion of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (Plagal 1st - Tone 5)

Lo, thy care for thy flock in its sojourn/ prefig­ured the supplications which thou dost ever offer up for the whole world./ Thus do we believe, having come to know thy love,/ O holy hierarch and wonderworker John./ Wholly sanctified by God/ through the ministry of the all-pure Myster­ies/ and thyself ever strengthened thereby,/ thou didst hasten to the suffering,/ O most gladsome Healer.// Hasten now also to the aid of us who honour thee with all our heart.

Kontakion

Thy heart hath gone out to all who entreat thee with love,/ O holy Hierarch John,/ and who remember the struggle of thy whole industrious life,/ and thy painless and easy repose,// O faithful servant of the all-pure Directress.

May St. John Intercede for us all!