One of the revered saints in Orthodoxy is John the Warrior. Numerous temples have been erected in honor of him since ancient times. About two such temples, consecrated in honor of this saint, the story will go. They are separated by a great distance. One is in Moscow - this is the well-known Temple of St. John the Warrior on Yakimanka, the other is in Novokuznetsk.
Defender of Persecuted Christians
Who was this saint in his earthly life and how did he deserve immortality? Opening the Patericon - a book about the life of the holy fathers - you can find out that he lived in the Roman Empire in the fourth century, when the emperor Julian the Apostate tried to eradicate Christianity and severely persecuted all believers in Christ.
Formally, St. John served in the army of Julian and was obliged to take part in the repressions, but, secretly confessing Christianity, he rendered all possible assistance to the persecuted. For those of them who were arrested and placed in prison, the saint returned freedom. Those who were going to be arrested, he warned of the danger.
Arrest and release of the saint
So many followers of Christ have had their lives saved. But Saint John helped not only brothers in faith. Anya person in trouble received help from him. When the emperor was informed about the secret activities of John, he ordered him to be thrown into prison. Undoubtedly, everything would have ended in execution, but soon Julian the Apostate died in battle with the Persians. The Lord saved the life of the saint, and he, having gone free, lived to old age in purity, prayer and service to others.
Church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka
The Moscow Church of St. John the Warrior is located on Yakimanka Street, in one of the most picturesque districts of the capital. The first church building was wooden and was located on the banks of the Moskva River, near the Crimean bridge. The earliest references to it date back to 1625. By the will of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, archers settled in that area, and since this saint was their patron, the need for such a church was quite obvious.
Soon the wooden church was replaced by a stone one, but a sad fate awaited it. When, as a result of a failed rebellion, the archers were defeated, their temple fell into disrepair, and during one of the floods it was flooded. The new stone church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka, the one that still exists today, was built at the direction of Tsar Peter the Great and consecrated in 1717.
During the Napoleonic invasion, it was defiled. The French, in search of jewelry, broke into the walls and floor. Fortunately, during the famous Moscow fire, the fire did not reach him, and the temple survived. After the expulsion of Napoleon, it had to be consecrated again. During the period of atheism, the Church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka operated, but suffered many hardships anddeprivation, in 1922 church utensils and other valuables were confiscated in it. Today it is one of the favorite churches of Muscovites.
Church of John the Warrior in Novokuznetsk
There is another temple of St. John the Warrior in our country. Novokuznetsk, a city in the south of Western Siberia, has become a place where people from all over Russia come in need of exorcism. Here, in the temple named after John the Warrior, the rite of reprimand is practiced. This is a special prayer that helps demon possessed people get rid of their misfortune and return to normal life.
According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, people who are unable to resist worldly sin allow evil forces to take power over them. Outwardly, it is expressed in various diseases, both mental and physical. Usually in such cases, medicine is powerless. The ceremony is held twice a week. The Church of St. John the Warrior these days is full of people. Many parishioners who received healing left notes of thanksgiving in a special book. From these records, you can find out how much people had to endure before they found the only right path. How difficult it was to find the strength in yourself to resort to this rite that came from the distant past.
