One of the revered saints in Orthodoxy is John the Warrior. In honor of him, from ancient times, numerous temples were erected. About two such churches, consecrated in honor of this saint, will be a story. They are separated by a large distance. One is located in Moscow - this is the Temple of John the Warrior, known to many, on Yakimanka, the other - in Novokuznetsk.
Protector of Persecuted Christians
Who was this saint in his earthly life and what earned immortality? Having opened Paterik - a book about the life of the holy fathers - you can find out that he lived in the Roman Empire in the fourth century, when Emperor Julian the Apostate tried to eradicate Christianity and brutally persecuted all believers in Christ.
Formally, St. John served in the army of Julian and was obliged to take part in repressions, but, secretly professing Christianity, he rendered persecuted all possible assistance. To those of them who were arrested and put in prison, the saint returned freedom. Those who were going to be arrested, he warned of the danger.
The arrest and release of the saint
To so many adherents of Christ, life was saved. But not only brothers in faith helped St. John. Anyone in need received help from him. When the emperor was informed of the secret activities of John, he ordered him to be imprisoned. Undoubtedly, it would all have ended in execution, but soon Julian the Apostate died in battle with the Persians. The Lord saved the life of the saint, and he, having been released, lived to an old age in purity, prayer and service to his neighbors.
Temple of John the Warrior on Yakimanka
Moscow Church of St. John the Warrior is located on Yakimanka Street, in one of the most picturesque areas of the capital. The first church building was wooden and was located on the banks of the Moscow River, near the Crimean bridge. The earliest mention of it dates back to 1625. By the will of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, streltsy settled in that area, and since this saint was their patron, the need for such a church was quite obvious.
Soon the wooden church was replaced by a stone, but a sad fate awaited her. When the archers were defeated as a result of a failed riot, their temple fell into disrepair, and during one of the floods it was flooded. The new stone church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka, the one that exists today, was built at the direction of Tsar Peter the Great and consecrated in 1717.
During the Napoleonic invasion, he was desecrated. The French, in search of jewelry, broke into the walls and floor. Fortunately, during the famous Moscow fire, the fire did not reach him, and the temple survived. After the exile of Napoleon had to consecrate it again. During the period of atheism, the Church of St. John the Warrior on Yakimanka acted, but suffered many hardships and deprivations, in 1922 church utensils and other values were confiscated in it. Today it is one of the favorite temples of Muscovites.
Temple of John the Warrior in Novokuznetsk
There is another temple of John the Warrior in our country. Novokuznetsk, a city in the south of Western Siberia, has become a place where people come from all over Russia who need to expel evil spirits. Here, in the temple named after John the Warrior, a rite of passage is practiced. This is a special prayer that helps people possessed by demons to get rid of their misfortune and return to normal life.
According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, people who are not able to resist worldly sin give evil forces to take power over themselves. Outwardly, it is expressed in various diseases, both mental and physical. Usually in such cases, medicine is powerless. The ceremony is held twice a week. The Church of St. John the Warrior these days is full of people. Many parishioners who received healing left thank-you notes in a special book. From these records you can find out how much people had to go through before they found the only right way. How difficult it was to find the strength to resort to this ritual that came from a distant past.