On the occasion of 20 years anniversary of St. John's glorification (1994-2014), and with the blessing of the priest who serves at the Cathedral where St. John's relics are, I dare to share this miracle with you, who I love you:
Through the prayers of our Lord and St. John, the great miracle
worker of our times whom I truly love, I, a sinner, was found worthy
to experience the following:
I flew in San Francisco the night after the Feastday of Nativity of
Our Lord, with the intention to venerate the relics of St. John. I
try to go on this pilgrimage at least once every year, and I usually
stay there for a whole week. During that time I try to read Akathist
to St. John by his relics, visit the places where he lived and
served… in one sentence: I try to be close to him as much as
possible.
I felt the same way during this pilgrimage too. I was happy
to learn that on January 13th (2013) at 10pm, a Vigil
followed by Liturgy was scheduled to be served in honor of St. Basil
the Great in the Monastery St. Tichon of Zadonsk (the place were St.
John lived). The service lasted from 10pm until 1:30am. The Liturgy
was served by the Archbishop of San Francisco and West America, Kiril, while bishop Theodosy was leading the kliros. The
service was wonderful! While standing in Church on prayer, I was thinking about how a few decades ago St. John himself was
serving daily Liturgies here, in the same Church!
I received Holy
Communion during the Liturgy. When the service ended, everyone headed
over to the lower floor to have a meal together. However, I decided
not to go, thinking, “This is my chance to pray to St. John in his
cell!” I read an Akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God and to the
holy vladyka Johni.
While reading the Akathist to Theotokos, I was feeling a spiritual
joy, especially because I had a chance to pray alone in St. John’s
cell. I could feel an immense grace all around me. As I was reading
the Akathist, I heard sounds of censing. I heard these sounds 3-4
times. While trying to concentrate on my prayers, I thought that
maybe one of the readers was folding the bishop’s vestments,
although the sounds that I heard were different and louder!
Furthermore, I knew that this was not possible since I saw everyone
go downstairs and I was all alone. However, at that point, I dared
not to think of anything else but continued with my prayers.
After I finished reading both Akathists, I felt tired, so I sat on
the armchair in the cell, to rest a little. I wanted to fall asleep,
but I couldn’t ii.
So, I was just sitting and resting. An hour after I sat down (two
hours after the Service ended) Fr. Anthony, a monk who lives in St.
John’s house, entered the cell. Whenever I meet a person who had
known St. John, or has some information about his life, I always ask
them to share their experiences and knowledge with me. Since Fr.
Anthony was living here, and I had heard that sometimes people who
lived in this house hear sounds of someone walking down or climbing
up the stairs (obviously, St. John) I decided to ask him if he had
experienced something similar. Fr. Anthony answered that he hasn’t
heard any such sounds, but he sometimes hears sounds of censing in
the house. The moment he said this, I got chills all over my body,
and was moved to tears. I got a feeling like something was burning
inside of me…I cannot even find the right words to describe how I
felt. I simply couldn’t believe what was happening. I was crying
and at the same time feeling extremely happy. It was interesting to
me that I didn’t even think of asking Fr. Anthony about the sounds
of censing that I heard, and there he was, telling me that he had
heard sounds of censing too!
Being cautious not to fall into a deception, I decided to discuss my
experience with bishop Theodosy, who also lives at St. Tichon’s and
has a great knowledge regarding these matters. I went to him two days
later, and told him everything about my experience. Bishop Theodosy
said that there was a great possibility that it was St. John who I
heard censing. He explained that, since St. John was censing in that
house while he was alive, he sometimes lets people who love him and
are spiritually close to him to hear him still serve there.
I
am writing this testimony as I personally experienced it. May it be
for my humbleness and for the glory of St. John, who until present
day has not left us without his prayers. Even today he is still
alive, as he, himself, has said, “Although I have died, I am
alive!” His presence is especially felt in San Francisco, in the
house where he lived.
I love St. John immensely. My love towards him grew even stronger
since I came to study here, in USA, and it continues to grow more and
more! It is very interesting that, every year that I go to him, I
either experience something new and beautiful, or I receive something
from St. John. Last year I received something that I will not talk
about in this writing, but I will say that it was very special to me.
This year, he vouchsafed me to hear the censing.
Glory be to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Mother of God, and now,
especially, to St. John for the mercy that he showed towards me! That
night at St. Tichon’s, the grace that filled St. John’s cell and
especially the censing that I heard will always stay in my heart! I
will rejoice because of St. John’s blessings!
Rejoice,
O holy hierarch, father John, speedy helper amid misfortunes!
Stojance Andov from Macedonia
A third year student in the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary
in Jordanville, New York
Written on January 16th, 2013, at 10:30pm in West
California, USA
1. I love calling St. John “vladyka”. I know that this is how he
was addressed by many while he was alive, and this is how I feel him
closer.
2. Whenever I get a chance to go to St. John’s cell, if there is
enough time, I try to fall asleep in his armchair, because I feel
that in this way I will be even closer to the saint who didn’t
have a bed, but only rested in this same armchair.
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