Holy Righteous Father John of Kronstadt: “I belong not to myself, but to others”

June 14, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the celebration of St. John of Kronstadt (John Sergiev), canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church at the Local Council in 1990.

Archpriest John of Kronstadt devoted his whole life to serving people in the name of God - both in the church and in the charity. The publication “Father John of Kronstadt as a Shepherd-Philanthropist” (1913), provides his words on the Presidential Library’s portal: “I am a priest, - said Fr. John – so what? Thus, there’s nothing to say: I don’t belong to myself, but to others”.  

"John Ilyich Sergiev of Kronstadt was born on October 19, 1829 in the far north, in the village of Surskoy, Pinezhsky district, Arkhangelsk province. His father is a poor haunter” – says the obituary “Father John Ilyich Sergiev of Kronstadt" (1908). For more than 300 years, his paternal ancestors were priests. A large family was very poor, and the boy “had to see only scenes of hopeless poverty, almost hunger. In the child’s soul there were only gloomy impressions of human life, pictures of grief, misfortune, despair <...> This gave rise to love for others and compassion for human grief and misfortune". The following is the story of John himself about his natural involvement in religion and the church: “...4-5 years old, or maybe less, my parents taught me to pray and made me a religiously minded boy from me. “My father took me constantly to church and I wholeheartedly loved public worship, especially choral singing”.

After graduating from a theological seminary in Arkhangelsk, John Sergiev, as the best student, is sent to study at the government account at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Despite the family’s financial difficulties, the widowed mother of John, beloved and revered by him, invariably supported his son’s craving for study and the mission of the priest, and John strove for pastoral, preaching work.

In 1855, having completed his studies with the degree of candidate of theology, John Sergiev marries the daughter of Archpriest St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt, Elizabeth Nesvitskaya, and takes the priesthood to serve in this cathedral. The book “Father John of Kronstadt as a Shepherd-Philanthropist” says: “From the very first days of his priesthood, the young Kronstadt priest showed a special love for church sermon, for frequent worship, for widespread and loving help to the poor”. From the 90s of the XIX century, he begins to sign "John of Kronstadt". The first 30 years of his ministry he almost did not leave Kronstadt further than to Petersburg.

The flock of Father John was special. In the 19th century, Kronstadt, located on the island, was the place of settlement of administrative exiles - vagabonds, drunks, beggars. In the city they were afraid, at night it was dangerous to go out. Laborers employed in the port only during navigation for six months sat idle, drank and wandered. But, according to the brochure "Father Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev (Kronstadt)" (1899), "the fiery jealousy for the salvation of others set John from the very first days of his pastoral ministry in the closest connection with the life of the flock, among whom he looked with pain of heart at those unfortunate people who not only lost their Christian appearance, but also descended morally to the extent of almost unreasonable beings”. 

Reverently treating all the rituals of church services, John, according to contemporaries, acted with extraordinary inspiration, sometimes departing from strict church canons, and due to the increase in the number of parishioners, the Holy Synod gave him permission to conduct general repentance and confession as an exception. Here is what the participant recalls in the mentioned edition “Father Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev (Kronstadt)”: “The emotional stress of the crowd reaches the last degree, without distinction of classes. Everyone: both educated and uneducated, and rich and poor, and young and old, men and women, all decisively begin to cry <...> A moan from sobbing is in the church... In a word, all the people together with the shepherd standing on the pulpit at that moment is one. Father John blesses himself and thanks God with tears for repentance granted to those coming”.

John of Kronstadt did his best to help the poorest of his flock with consolation, good deeds, and money, not only at the request of those in need, but simply seeing the need for such help. His wide and varied charitable activities are highlighted in the obituary "Father John Ilyich Sergiev of Kronstadt": "Receiving daily thousands of rubles, John completely used them for charity. And tens of thousands of poor people all over Russia received financial assistance from Fr. John, dozens of churches were built on his generous donations, hundreds of churches and parishes enjoyed the support of a shepherd. Every year, he sent up to one hundred thousand rubles to charitable institutions. In addition, from funds In Kronstadt, John distributed daily small sums of money to the poor people from Kronstadt, sometimes over 2 thousand people. At the expense St. John built a convent in his homeland in Sura and the majestic St. John the Theologian monastery in St. Petersburg, on Karpovka". 

John's charity extended not only to church buildings. The same publication says that in 1882 “...he founded the Kronstadt house of industriousness. Sheltered under the roof of the house of industriousness: 1) an overnight shelter, 2) a women's workshop, 3) a bookbinding workshop, 4) a shoe workshop, 5) a folk canteen, 6) an almshouse for women, 7) a school for 200 children, 8) a hospital for the poor”. Since then, such houses of industriousness have been opened all over Russia.

The Kronstadt shepherd was highly respected by all members of the imperial family. He visited the terminally ill Alexander III in October 1894 in the Crimea, and then was present at his death and accompanied his body to Petersburg. In the same year, at the behest of Nicholas II, he was at the wedding of the last Russian emperor and Alexandra Feodorovna, later participated in the baptism of their daughter, Grand Duchess Olga and heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei.

Gratitude and recognition of John of Kronstadt deserved both from ordinary believers, whom he could help both in word and deed, and from the church and state. In particular, he was awarded the golden pectoral cross, two thanks from the Holy Synod, club, miter; from secular authorities - the Order of St. Anna of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree, the Order of St. Vladimir of the 3rd and 4th degree, as well as many other awards and honorary diplomas.

The holy righteous John of Kronstadt died after illness on December 20, 1908 (January 2, 1909 in a new style). The ceremonial farewell ceremony for the deceased brought together thousands of pilgrims. By prior permission from Emperor Nicholas II and Metropolitan Anthony, John was buried in the crypt of St. Petersburg’s St. John’s Monastery on the Karpovka River.