The Life of St. John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria

We commemorate St. John the Almsgiver on Nov 12 / Nov 25. 

From the Life of St. John, written by St. Sophronius of Jerusalem: "And indeed he was always on all occasions amiable to all, advising, encouraging, assisting, acting as peacemaker, doing a kindness, reconciling, and ever anxiously striving to display his love for the highest virtue in all its forms."

"He absolutely refused to receive presents or money or any kind of gift whatsoever, not only as a fee for ordination, but also on any other pretext or excuse, whether the matter were great or small, for he ever kept in mind the words of the writer of Proverbs, who says ‘He that is greedy of gain destroys himself but he that hateth taking gifts shall live’. [Prov 15:27 LXX] Moreover from all those who were seeking ordination at his hands, whether as bishops or priests, he demanded a written declaration in order to safeguard the orthodox faith and to secure the observance of all the ordinances set forth in the Canons."

Read the Life here: https://www.omhksea.org/archives/3364 

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