On the visit of the relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Miracle-worker to Europe

With the blessing of His Beatitude Sawa, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland (Polish Orthodox Church), Metropolitan John of Dubna (Archbishop of Western European parishes of the Russian tradition), Archbishop Kirill of San Francisco and Western America (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad), Archbishop Jakub of Byelostok (Polish Orthodox Church), and Bishop Andrew of Austria and Switzerland (Serbian Orthodox Church) the travel reliquary and liturgical belt of our fatheramong the saints, John, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, and the new movie about him, were brought from California to Western Europe.

From November 9-17 this year St. John not only spiritually, but also bodily, in his relics, visited Poland, Switzerland and France. For 11 days people had the opportunity to gather, to feel the grace of this great God-pleaser, to pray diligently to Vladika for themselves and their loved ones, and in a soborny [corporate]atmosphere of prayer to weep and find peace and hope.

The visit of Vladika was a special joy for the faithful of Podlasie, in Eastern Poland.

St. John did not visit Poland during his lifetime, and somewhat less is known about him there than in some other European countries. A new book in Polish about St. John was published, and icons of him were printed in time for his November visit to Poland. The St. John travel reliquary was brought to two monasteries – the ancient Suprasl Annunciation Monastery (XVcentury) and the largest women’s convent of the Polish Orthodox Church, the Monastery of the Nativity of the Motherof God in Zwierki – and to six parishes in the cities of Bialystok, Bielsk and Hajnowka. In each church St. John gathered a great number of believers, not only Orthodox but also Roman Catholics.

In many parishes on the occasion of the “arrival of the saint” a Liturgy (three of them with a bishop serving) was celebrated, followed by a prayer service [moleben] or akathist, a greeting by the guardian of the reliquary, the dean of the Holy Virgin “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Cathedral in San Francisco, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, the screening of the new movie about St. John –“The Aroma of Holiness,” and a discussion and a Q&A with Fr.Peter – mostly questions about St. John and Orthodoxy in America. Thanks to the Mother Superior of the Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery in Zwierki, Abbess Anastasia, and the chairman of the Orthodox Brotherhood of the Three Hierarchs, Slawomir Nazariuk, the visit of St. John’s relics to so many parishes was made possible.

There was great interest in the new movie “The Aroma of Holiness” everywhere.

The film was adapted into Polish, Serbian and French especially for the European screenings. The first part of the movie conveys the atmosphere of the Russian Empire of the early twentieth century, its spiritual component, with special attention paid to the image of an Orthodox ruler, the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, and his pious family. The film includes photographs from the childhood and youth of the future Archbishop John, the theme of the godless Bolshevik coup, the great exodus of the Russians, the life of Vladyka John in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, his formation on the path of monasticism and episcopacy, and hisfruitful labors in many parts of the world, as well as historical footage (about 10 minutes) of the saint himself. The last part of the film covers the canonization of St. John in 1994, with footage of this historic event.

Before his departure from Poland to Switzerland, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov had the opportunity to meet briefly with the Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa, and to convey to him the greetings of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas, and gift a new icon of St. John to Vladika Sawa.

At the invitation of the rector of the Assumption Serbian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Miroslav Simionovic, a great venerator of Vladyka, the second country in Europe to receivethe St. John travel reliquary and belt, was Switzerland. On Thursday evening, November 14, the relics of St. John werewelcomed at the Assumption parish by the faithful of Zurichwith lit candles: Serbs, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians and Swiss. Vespers (celebrated daily in this parish) and the Akathist were served. During the service, Fr. Peter anointed the faithful with oil from the vigil lamp over St. John’s relics in San Francisco. Then Archpriests Miroslav and Peter exchanged greetings and the new St. John movie was shown in the parish hall. During the movie, the anointing of the faithful continued upstairs until late evening.

The last stop on the trip was the historic St. Alexander NevskyCathedral in Paris on rue Daru. On Saturday evening, November 16, the St. John travel reliquary was greeted by His Eminence Metropolitan John, Archbishop of Western European parishes of the Russian tradition, with the cathedral clergy. Before the beginning of the All-Night Vigil, the gracious and elderlyMetropolitan John spoke sincere words about St. John and his significance for the Orthodox:

“…St. John, in his humility and his simplicity really reflected Christ by his life. It’s a witness of the Gospel, of the life in Christ, in our modern era. Also, his coming among us today is a great joy and a bringer of hope for the life of each one us, as well as for the life of the world. The saints are here to give us a sign for the path to follow, of the way that we must take to draw closer to the Lord, which is the way of humility, of compassion, of love, and of self-giving in prayer and brotherly love. The saints also ask on behalf of each one of us the grace to enrich our Orthodox Christian life and to enable us to continue to be a witness to Christ and to the Gospel, to love according to the Spirit of Christ, to receive in our lives the divine life, eucharistic life, which gives us strength, hope, and faith.

St. John of San Francisco is this man who opened his heart and his whole life to the presence of God, to the presence of Christ, and to the grace of the Holy Spirit. We greatly thank Fr. Peter Perekrestov and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia for paying this visit to our Cathedral so that we can properly give honor to St. John of San Francisco and that by his prayers our life might be more true and rooted in Christ, the Friend of Man.”

It is known that St. John (Maximovitch) visited the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris in 1957 to greet the then head of the Exarchate of the Orthodox Churches of the Russian tradition in Western Europe, Metropolitan Vladimir (Tikhonitsky), on the 50th anniversary of his episcopal ordination. It is noteworthy that both St. John and Metropolitan Vladimir were tonsured into monasticism by the future First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, His Beatitude Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky): Metropolitan Vladimir in the XIX century, and St. John in the XXth.

The Divine Liturgy at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Sunday, November 17, was led by His Grace Simeon, Bishop of Domodedovo, Vicar Bishop of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition, with a host of Russian, Romanian, Georgian and Moldovan clergy. The cathedral choir under the direction of Protodeacon Alexander Kedrov sang magnificently. The temple was crowded with parishioners and pilgrims to the relics of St. John, the communion of the faithful from four chalices took much time. After the Liturgy Fr. Peter Perekrestov held a talk in the cathedral meeting hall with a large group of parish youth, many of whom are new converts to Orthodoxy or inquirers who are preparing to be received into theOrthodox Church. This was followed by a screening of the movie “The Aroma of Holiness.” The cathedral was open all day so that the faithful of other parishes in Paris and its suburbs could venerate the holy relics. At 5 p.m. the cathedral priest Fr. Matthew Leszczynski, worshipers and the youth group led by Protodeacon Alexander Kedrov, in joy and gratitude, accompanied St. John in his relics while singing the troparion and kontakion in French. Wondrous is God in His saints!

N. Toman

Photogallery of the visit of St. John’s relics to Europe: