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Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian 10/9/2013
Son of the fisherman Zebedee and of Salome, a daughter of the righteous Joseph. Called by Lord Jesus, John immediately left his father and his fishing nets and together with his brother Jacob followed after Christ. And ever since he had never separated from his Lord until the end. With Peter and Jacob he was present at the raising of Jairus’ daughter and of the Lord’s Transfiguration on Tabor. At the Mystical Supper he leant on Jesus’ bosom. When all the others forsook the crucified Lord, John along with the Theotokos stayed at the Cross. At the Lord’s commandment he had afterwards been like a son to the Most Holy Virgin and had caringly served and guarded Her until Her assumption. After the assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, Saint John went together with his disciple Prochorus to spread the Gospel in Asia Minor. Ephesus was the place where he stayed and was active the longest. With his inspired preaching and his wonder-working he converted many into Christianity and shook paganism from its foundations. Embittered, the pagans tied him up and sent him to Rome to the emperor Domitian. He was tortured and beaten before the emperor, but since he was not harmed even by the most venomous poison they gave him to drink or by the boiling oil they threw him in, the emperor got frightened and, counting him immortal, he sent him to exile on the Isle of Patmos. On this island Saint John converted many into Christianity with words and wonders and fortified the Church of God well. Here he wrote his Gospel and the Revelation. In the time of the emperor Nerva, who gave freedom to all the captives, John went to Ephesus again, where he lived for some time reinforcing there his previously started work. He was over a hundred years old when he presented himself before the Lord. Afterwards, when his disciples opened his tomb, they did not find his body, but every year on May 8 there came out of the tomb certain fine dust, fragrant and healing. After his much labourious and fruitful life on earth, this beloved disciple of Christ and a pillar of the Church, moved into the immortal and peaceful joy of his Lord.
