Venerable John the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople (+595)

The Venerable John IV the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople (582–595), felt a wonderful attraction to monasticism from childhood. For his pious life he was ordained deacon, and some time later he was appointed Archbishop of Constantinople. Throughout his years as hierarch the saint did not abandon the way of life characteristic of the most ascetic desert fathers, and so he was called “the Faster”.

By the example of his own life the holy father taught the faithful to curb the passions and to master themselves. When the inhabitants of Constantinople decided to amuse themselves by watching horse races on the eve of the feast of Pentecost, which would of course have diminished their sense of the feast, the blessed hierarch fell on his knees and prayed fervently that the Lord would bring his flock’s lawless intention to nothing. And as soon as the people of Constantinople had gathered at the hippodrome, a terrible storm suddenly arose; thunder crashed, heavy rain was followed by hail, and the spectacle was called off. Saint John loved the poor so much that he gave them without stint everything he had, and when he reposed nothing was left but an old garment. The blessed father worked many miracles in his lifetime. He is known as a church writer.