John Chrysostom (c. 347/349–407) was an early Church Father and Archbishop of Constantinople, surnamed "the Golden-Mouthed" (Chrysostom) for the eloquence of his preaching. Born in Antioch, Syria, he received a classical education before withdrawing from the world to pursue an ascetic and monastic life.

Ordained a deacon in 381 and a priest in 386, he served at Antioch for twelve years, where his brilliant sermons earned him his famous surname. In 398 he was elevated to the see of Constantinople, the most prestigious ecclesiastical position in the Eastern Roman Empire. His reforms and denunciations of corruption made powerful enemies, and after some years he was deposed, exiled, and died in banishment.

He is venerated as a saint across the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican churches, and is numbered among the Three Hierarchs alongside Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus. The Divine Liturgy that bears his name remains the principal liturgical service of the Eastern Orthodox Church and many Eastern Catholic churches to this day.

Customs & Traditions

At the Ecumenical Patriarchate a custom honors him as the see's true occupant — the Patriarch serves from the small throne beside the great one — and his relics are brought out for veneration; his is a name-day for the countless faithful named John.

Troparion & Kontakion2 hymnsReadHide

TroparionTone 8

Grace shining forth from your lips like a beacon has enlightened the universe.
It has shown to the world the riches of poverty;
it has revealed to us the heights of humility.
Teaching us by your words, O Father John Chrysostom,
intercede before the Word, Christ our God, to save our souls!

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

KontakionTone 6

Having received divine grace from heaven,
with your mouth you teach all men to worship one God in Trinity.
All-blest and venerable John Chrysostom, we worthily praise you,
for you are our teacher, revealing things divine!

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline6 momentsReadHide

c. 347/349Birth at AntiochBorn at Antioch in Syria, where he received a classical education.
381Ordained deaconOrdained a deacon after years of ascetic and monastic life in the Syrian mountains and a cave.
386Ordained priestOrdained a priest at Antioch, where over twelve years his preaching earned him the surname Chrysostom.
398Archbishop of ConstantinopleElevated to the see of Constantinople, the most prestigious ecclesiastical position in the Eastern Roman Empire.
404Deposed and exiledDeposed by the Synod of the Oak under Theophilus of Alexandria and sent into exile at Cucusus in the Taurus mountains.
September 14, 407Death in exileDied at Comana in Pontus during his banishment, having been moved further from the capital.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributionsReadHide

Life and Ministry

John was born about the year 347 (some accounts give c. 349) at Antioch in Syria, where he received an excellent classical education. In his youth he withdrew from the world to live in monastic solitude, first in the mountains of Syria for about four years, then in a cave for two years, where he practiced such severe asceticism that, by tradition, his health was permanently impaired.

Returning to Antioch, he was ordained a deacon in 381 and a priest in 386. As a priest at the cathedral of Antioch for twelve years, his eloquent homilies established his reputation and earned him the surname Chrysostom, "the Golden-Mouthed." In 398 he was made Archbishop of Constantinople, where he served until 407.

Conflict and Exile

As Archbishop, John's reforms and his zeal in denouncing corruption at the imperial court incurred the enmity of the Empress Eudoxia and her powerful supporters. After some years in office he was deposed by a synod convened at the Oak — the Synod of the Oak — under the jurisdiction of Theophilus of Alexandria, and was sent into exile.

He was banished to Cucusus in the Taurus mountains. The continued efforts of his friends and supporters to secure his reinstatement caused increasing strain, and he was moved further away to Comana in Pontus, where he died on September 14, 407.

Legacy

John Chrysostom's collected homilies and writings remain among the most extensive surviving works of any Church Father. The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is the primary liturgical service celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in many Eastern Catholic churches.

He is commemorated on November 13; on January 27, the feast of the Translation of his relics; and on January 30, the Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs, which honors him together with Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus.

Works & Further ReadingReadHide

Notable Works

Member ofReadHide

The Three Holy Hierarchs

Commemorated together · Jan 30

Family2 relativesShowHide

Mother; a devout widow who raised him in the faith

Anthusa

not commemorated

Father; an army officer who died in John's infancy

Secundus

not commemorated

Companions17 figuresShowHide

Who baptized him and ordained him reader

Saint MeletiusArchbishop of Antioch

Who ordained him priest at Antioch

Saint FlavianArchbishop of Antioch

His closest spiritual disciple and correspondent

Saint Olympiasthe Deaconess of Constantinople

Bishop drawn into the controversy around him

Saint EpiphaniusBishop of Cyprus

His teacher in the Antiochene school

Diodore of Tarsus

Opponent who engineered his condemnation at the Synod of the Oak

Theophilus of Alexandria

not commemorated

Whose enmity led to his exile

Empress Eudoxia

not commemorated

Martyrs under Julian whose memory he preserved in a panegyric preached at Antioch.

Martyrs Juventinus & Maximinus

The monk whose death in the arena brought an end to the gladiatorial games.

Monk-Martyr Telemachus

The ascetic of Pelusium who admired and defended him during his persecution.

Venerable Isidoreof Pelusium

Whom he ordained deacon and received as a disciple; later founder of monasteries in Gaul.

Venerable John Cassianthe Roman

His disciple by tradition, whom he tonsured a monk.

Saint Markthe Ascetic

Bishop of Tomis and his friend.

Theotimusof Tomis

Clergy of his church, who suffered in the persecution that followed his exile.

Martyrs Tigriusthe Presbyter and Eutropius the Reader of Constantinople

His disciple in the synaxarion tradition, who as archbishop restored his relics to Constantinople.

Saint ProclusArchbishop of Constantinople

Bishop of Antioch, in whose honor he preached a panegyric in 386.

Saint PhilogoniusBishop of Antioch

Archbishops of Constantinople of his own time; Arsacius served as his archpresbyter and succeeded him after his exile.

Saints NectariusArsacius, and Sisinius, Patriarchs of Constantinople

Related Saints14 saintsShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

Fellow ecumenical teacher among the Three Holy Hierarchs

Basilthe Great

Fellow ecumenical teacher among the Three Holy Hierarchs

Gregorythe Theologian

Elder father of the Nicene faith

Athanasiusthe Great

Cappadocian Father of the same generation

Gregoryof Nyssa

Successor in the defense of Orthodox doctrine

CyrilArchbishop of Alexandria

Later Patriarch and almsgiver who honored his memory

Saint John the MercifulPatriarch of Alexandria

The martyr-bishop who, by tradition, appeared to him at Comana shortly before his repose, in the church raised over his relics.

Martyr BasiliscusBishop of Comana

A Georgian namesake called Oqropiri — Golden-mouthed — for an eloquence likened to his own.

Saint Johnof Khakhuli the Oqropiri

Fellow great hierarch of the Church.

Nicholasthe Wonderworker

The martyr of Tarsus in whose honour he is said to have preached an encomium at Antioch.

Martyr Julianof Tarsus

The martyr of Anazarbus whose memory he honoured with a homily at Antioch, where the relics were enshrined.

Martyr Julianof Anazarbus

The First-Called, who founded the see he afterwards held.

Apostle Andrewthe First-Called

The martyr of his own Antioch, in whose praise he preached a homily.

Drosisof Antioch

Great teacher and preacher of the same age, in Syriac as he in Greek.

Ephraimthe Syrian

Browse similar saints by calling and place.

More Theologians71 More Teachers81 More Antioch116 More Writers202 More Greece370 More Hierarchs580

Ideas for Celebrating This Day5 ideasShowHide

Ways to honor St John Chrysostom.

Explain the name "golden mouth," the Church's greatest preacher, and let each child give a tiny one-sentence "sermon" about something good God has done.
Tie almsgiving to his feeding of the poor — pack a food-pantry box or bake for a shut-in in his honor.
Point to the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom the family attends most Sundays, and name the parts the children recognize.
Read one of his short sayings together and talk about what it means in plain language.
Keep a name-day for anyone named John or Ioannis (he is also honored Jan 30 among the Three Hierarchs).

Ideas gathered and adapted from Orthodox family resources — Orthodox Pebbles. These are optional, inviting ideas, not liturgical requirements.

Sources: Synaxarion