St. John of Kronstadt
St. John of Kronstadt (1829-1908) was born in the village of Sura in northern Russia and served for over fifty years as a priest of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kronstadt, near St. Petersburg.
Celebrating the Divine Liturgy daily, he became renowned throughout Russia as a wonderworker, a fervent man of prayer through whom countless healings were granted, and a tireless father to the poor, founding the House of Industry to give work, food, and shelter to the destitute. His spiritual diary, My Life in Christ, remains one of the most beloved works of Orthodox spirituality. He reposed on December 20, 1908, and was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1990.
Prayer is the breathing of the soul; prayer is our spiritual food and drink.
Love every man in spite of his falling into sin. Never mind the sins, but remember that the foundation of the man is the same, the image of God.
Do not confound man, that image of God, with the wickedness that is in him, because the wickedness is only accidental, his misfortune, sickness, an illusion of the Devil; but his being, the image of God, still remains in him.
Do not fear the conflict, and do not flee from it: where there is no struggle, there is no virtue; where there are no temptations for faithfulness and love, it is uncertain whether there is really any faithfulness and love for the Lord.
Troparion · Tone 1
As a zealous advocate of the Orthodox faith, as a caring solicitor for the land of Russia, faithful to the rules and image of a pastor, preaching repentance and life in Christ, an awesome servant and administrator of God's sacraments, a daring intercessor for people's sake, O good and righteous Father John, healer and wonderful miracle-worker, the praise of the town of Kronstadt and decoration of our Church, beseech the All-Merciful God to reconcile the world and to save our souls!
Kontakion · Tone 3
This day the pastor of Kronstadt appears before the throne of God, praying fervently on behalf of the faithful to the chief pastor Christ, who has promised: "I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it!"
Saints around December 20
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