Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt in the memoirs of his contemporaries

October 31, 2023 marks the 194th anniversary of the birth of one of the most revered Russian saints, John of Kronstadt.

The Presidential Library’s portal contains numerous materials that illustrate the life and career of the righteous saint: his diary, conversations and teachings presented in the complete collected works, Father John of Kronstadt’s response to Leo Tolstoy on his “Address to the Clergy” and many others. Of special interest are the memories of contemporaries about the outstanding shepherd.

From the very beginning of his ministry, John of Kronstadt was actively involved in charity: he founded the House of Diligence (a workhouse with workshops), a school for the poor, a women's almshouse, and an orphanage. Over time, the fame of the clergyman’s spiritual gifts, selflessness and help spread throughout Russia.

According to the book Three times in Kronstadt with Fr. John (1903) Solovyov recalls how Father John gave his last money to three classmates who had specially come to Kronstadt to listen to his sermon.

Contemporaries especially noted the appearance of Father John, which they compared with the appearance of a true Christian shepherd: a humble appearance, an open and peaceful face, gentle blue eyes. But what struck the parishioners most of all were his speeches, which touched the deepest strings of the soul.

The Kronstadt priest became famous not only for his good deeds, but also for the gift of miraculous healing: he put patients on their feet that even doctors could not cope with. Ivan Loginov’s book Father John Ilyich Sergiev, Kronstadt Archpriest of St. Andrew’s Cathedral (1891) contains a large number of stories of recovery, deliverance from illnesses thanks to the fervent prayers of the Kronstadt shepherd. At the same time, Father John influenced people from a distance.

The belief that Father John could beg God for healing and forgiveness of sins grew stronger among the people every day. Gradually, his good fame spread throughout the world. Father John spoke words of consolation to everyone, found something to say to all questions: he consoled those who were crying, gave advice to the sick, and blessed everyone, according to the book Father John among the People.

Father John completely fearlessly descended into the dugouts of the poor and climbed steep stairs to the attics to bring relief to the slum dwellers suffering from consumption. He was also present during the last days and minutes of the life of Emperor Alexander III in the royal palace in Livadia. John of Krostadt was also close to the family of Nicholas II.

Thanks to Father John, Kronstadt received its main architectural landmark - the Naval Cathedral in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. On the day of laying the first stone at the foundation of the temple, Father John predicted his death. The clergyman’s premonitions were justified: Father John died on January 2, 1909, in the days when the walls of the cathedral were put under the roof...

People continued to reach out to Father John even after his departure from earthly life. This is evidenced by the publication The Miraculous Power of Father Fr. John (1914).

The pious deeds of the beloved and deeply revered shepherd by the people were not forgotten - in 1990, Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev was canonized, entering the history of the Russian Orthodox Church as the holy righteous John of Kronstadt.