A double-edged preacher
John's golden speeches often angered the powerful
By Tony Staley
Compass Editor
Anyone who longs for church leaders who will speak out against civic leaders and public behavior might applaud St. John Chrysostom. But anyone who thinks that Sunday Mass should be called 60 Minutes Max, should be thankful he isn't their pastor because he sometimes preached for two hours.
His preaching skills - Chrysostom is Greek for golden-mouthed - brought him attention, fame, controversy and, finally, death.
John was born in the mid-4th century at Antioch, Syria, to the family of an imperial military officer. After studying under the pagan rhetorician, Libanius, and theology under Diodorus of Tarsus, John was baptized at age 21 - the custom of that day.
Five years later, he became a hermit and moved into a cave for a few years until stomach problems brought on by fasting forced him to stop. In 381, he became a deacon. Then, in 386, Bp. Flavian of Antioch ordained him to the priesthood.
For the next 12 years, he became well-known in Antioch as a preacher. In 390, he began a series on the New Testament that included 88 homilies on John, 90 on Matthew and 32 on Romans.
Despite John's protests, Emperor Arcadius had him named Archbishop, or Patriarch, of Constantinople in 398. He immediately began a series of reforms, including eliminating the life of pomp and luxury church leaders were accustomed to. He also gave generously to the poor, sent out missionaries and opposed idolatry, immoral entertainment, immodest dress and the taking of mistresses.
While his actions pleased many, he also made enemies, including Empress Eudoxia, who believed she was the "Jezebel" referred to in one of his homilies. He also angered Gainas, commander-in-chief of the army, when John curtailed executions; and Abp. Theophilus of Alexandria, who wanted to be the Patriarch of Constantinople.
In 403, Theophilus convinced 36 bishops at the Synod of the Oak to condemn and exile John. But Eudoxia lifted the banishment after threats of civil war and the outcries of a superstitious public who believed that his exile had caused an earthquake.
Soon after returning to Constantinople, John again angered the empress when he denounced the excesses of public games celebrating a new silver statue of her. She responded by convincing Arcadius to exile John to Cucusus, Armenia, on June 24, 404, despite the protests of Pope Innocent I, the people of Constantinople and church leaders. John wrote 238 letters in exile that still exist.
Despite the pope's repeated demands, John remained in exile. Finally, in 407, he was sent farther away - to Pityus at the far end of the Black Sea. He died enroute at Comana, Pontus, after being forced to march in stifling heat and inclement weather.
(Sources: Butler's Lives of the Saints, Dictionary of Saints, Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Saint of the Day, 365 Saints)
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