Haead of St John Chrysostom brought to New York

On February 6, 2010, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the honorable head of the universal teacher, St John Chrysostom, housed at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, was brought to the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign. The relic will remain there for the faithful to venerate until February 11.

Information concerning the venerable head of St. John Chrysostom

In 1652, Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich (1629-1676) learned from Archimandrite Damascene, the abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, that the monastery was the guardian of the head of St. John Chrysostom, which the monastic brotherhood had received three hundred years earlier as a gift from the Byzantine emperor, John Cantacuzene (c.1292-1383). The abbot, in the hope of receiving substantial gift and monetary support, offered to send the relic to Moscow of veneration. Alexis gladly accepted the offer and commanded Damascene and his monastic brotherhood to travel to Moscow and to see the eyes of his royal majesty. He promised to return the head of the Saint in the custody of the same person who had brought it to Moscow. In 1655, Damascene brought the holy relic to Moscow, but he never got opportunity to return with it to Vatopedi. Tsar Alexis tricked the monks and kept the relic, at first, he said, temporarily, but then for good. All of the appeals and petitions of the visiting monastic allowed himself publicly to express his displeasure at the turn of events, the Tsar, known as the Quiet One sent him for repentance to the Solovki Monastery in the far north. The Venerable head of St. John Chrysostom was kept in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin until 1922. From 1930 to 1988 the vessel containing the holy relic was kept in the Collection of 19th Century Russian Silver.

On the eve of the celebration of the Millenium of the Baptism of Rus, on the 26th of May, 1988, several reliquaries were returned to the Synod of the Russian Church in a ceremony at the State Armony Museum. Among them was the reliquary containing head of Saint John.

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[znifong7]

This is one of the best things that's ever happened to America, and yet, it's is virtually unknown. St John, pray for us all, and ask God to forgive us of our sins...