St. Nicholas of Velimirovic
John was the son of Zebedee the fisherman and Salome, daughter of Joseph, The Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos.
When the Lord Jesus called him, John left his father and fishermen’s nets, and along with his brother James they followed Christ. Since then he never separated from his Lord, until the end.
He, Peter and James were present at the Raising of Jairus’ daughter, as well as at the Transfiguration (Metamorphoses) of our Saviour.
During the Last Supper, John reclined on Jesus’ bosom.
When all the other Apostles had abandoned the Crucified Lord, John and the Most Holy Theotokos stood at the foot of the Cross.
Then, obeying Lord’s will, like a loving son, concerned himself over the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and he served her until her Dormition.
After the Dormition of the Theotokos, John went to Asia Minor to preach the Gospel, taking with him his own disciple Prochoros.
Especially in Ephesus, where he lived, he worked hard and accomplished great things.
With his inspired sermon and miracles, many became Christians and idolatry was shattered.
The angry pagans sent him prisoner to Rome to face Emperor Domitian.
The Emperor tortured him in various ways, but neither the bitter poison they gave him to drink, nor the boiling oil in which they threw him in, managed to shake him or hurt him.
This event terrified the Emperor who, considering John immortal, exiled him to the island of Patmos.
There, Saint John the Apostle made many people believe through his words and works, and established the Church of God.
In Patmos he also wrote his Gospel and the Revelation (Apocalypse).
During Neron’s reign, who granted pardons to all the prisoners, John returned to Ephesus, where he lived for some time consolidating the work he had begun earlier.
The Disciples of Christ did not simply speak, but confirmed their words with their works.
Saint Clement of Alexandria tells the following: St. John the Evangelist had baptized a young former pagan, somewhere in Asia Minor, to whom he entrusted the care of the local diocese, while he left to preach the Gospel.
However, in the absence of John, this young man strayed from the true path and began to drink and steal; he joined a band of robbers who were acting in the forests, attacking people whom they robbed.
When John returned, after some time, the bishop informed him about what had happened to the young man.
The Apostle, without losing time, found a horse and a driver immediately, and went out into the wilderness to seek the robbers.
The saint found them and faced the band leader.
Seeing the holy Elder, the guilty one tried to hide himself.
Despite his advanced age, John chased him.
Although he was old, he ran after him and besought him to stop.
The young man fell at the Apostle’s feet, unable to look at him in the eye.
John hugged him and kissed him, like the shepherd who finds his lost sheep.
The saint brought him back to the city and reasserted his faith, fixing him to the virtuous life.
Having pleased God with his life, this man passed away.
St. John the Theologian was more than one hundred years old when he died.
His disciples opened his tomb and did not find his body.
On May 8 of every year, odoriferous dust is raised from his grave from which the sick are healed of various diseases.
After an arduous and fruitful life on Earth, the intimate, beloved disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, this true pillar of the Church, found his residence in the joy of his Lord.
