Saint John of Kronstadt
Archpriest of Saint Andrew's Cathedral, Kronstadt
- Feast day
- December 20
- Lived
- 1829–1908
- Patronage
- Parish priests, the poor, alcoholics and their families
A married parish priest in a naval port full of destitution and drink, Saint John of Kronstadt served the Liturgy daily, gave away everything he was given, and became the most sought-after intercessor in the Russian Empire.
Life
Born in a poor northern village, John was ordained to the cathedral in Kronstadt, the island fortress where the empire dumped its vagrants and unemployed labourers. He went into their cellars and shacks personally, often coming home barefoot having given away his shoes.
He founded the House of Industry, providing workshops, a school, a shelter and a free clinic. Letters and telegrams asking for his prayers arrived by the sackful, from Orthodox, Catholics, Jews and Muslims alike, and healings were reported constantly.
My Life in Christ
His spiritual diary, My Life in Christ, records a priest's daily struggle with prayer and self-examination and remains widely read. He insisted on frequent communion at a time when Russians typically communed once a year, and this practice has since become normal in Orthodox parishes worldwide.