Hierarch 8th century

Saint John Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea

8th century - 791

Also known as John of Gothia

A bishop of the Gothic Christians of the Crimea who upheld the veneration of the holy icons against the iconoclasts and suffered imprisonment and exile for the faith.

Feast Day

May 19

Also Jun 26

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Commemorated as

Our Father among the Saints John, Bishop of the Goths

Life

John was bishop of the Gothic Christians who lived in the Crimea, a Germanic people settled north of the Black Sea who had received the Orthodox faith. He lived in the eighth century, during the iconoclast controversy, and is remembered as a confessor who upheld the veneration of the holy icons against the imperial heresy.

When the Gothic see fell vacant under the iconoclast emperors, the Goths entreated John to become their bishop. Because the Byzantine Church was then under the sway of iconoclasm, he was consecrated in Georgia (Iberia), a land that had remained free of the heresy. He later took part in a revolt against the Khazars, who dominated the region, and was imprisoned when it failed; escaping, he found refuge in Byzantine Amastris, where he reposed in 791. His relics were returned to the Crimea, to the monastery at Partenit beneath Mount Ayu-Dag, where he had built a church of the Apostles Peter and Paul. He is commemorated on May 19 and June 26.

Timeline 5 moments Read Hide

8th century Birth among the Crimean Goths John was born to the Gothic Christians of the Crimea, the son of devout parents who, by the account, had long prayed for a child.
as a young man Pilgrimage to Jerusalem He made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, spending some three years visiting the holy sites of Jerusalem before returning to his own people.
c. 758 Consecration as bishop in Georgia Entreated by the Goths to be their bishop when their see fell vacant under iconoclasm, he was consecrated in Georgia (Iberia), which remained untouched by the heresy then prevailing in Byzantium.
787 Revolt against the Khazars John took part in a rising of the Goths against Khazar domination of the region. The revolt was soon put down, the Khazars retook the chief town, and John was seized and imprisoned.
791 Escape and repose at Amastris Having escaped his captors, John took refuge at Amastris on the southern Black Sea coast within the Byzantine Empire, where he reposed; by the account his death followed forty days after that of the Khazar ruler, which he had foretold.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributions Read Hide

Bishop of the Goths

The Goths of the Crimea were the descendants of a Germanic people long settled on the northern shore of the Black Sea who had embraced Orthodox Christianity. John lived among them in the eighth century, a time when the Byzantine Church was torn by the iconoclast controversy under the emperor Constantine Copronymos (741-775) and his successors.

When the Gothic see was left without a bishop in those years, the people asked John to take up the office. Because the Church within the empire was then dominated by the iconoclasts, he went to Georgia, which had remained free of the heresy, and was consecrated there before returning to lead his flock.

Confessor for the icons and the Khazar revolt

John is honored as a confessor for his steadfast defense of the holy icons at a time when their veneration was condemned and persecuted by the imperial power. His firmness placed him among those who suffered for upholding Orthodox practice in the iconoclast age.

The Crimea in his day lay under the dominion of the Khazars. John took part in a revolt of the Goths against this rule; the rising failed within a year, the Khazars retook the principal town, and the bishop was imprisoned. Escaping captivity, he fled to Amastris within the Byzantine Empire, where he spent his last years in hiding and reposed in 791.

Relics and commemoration

After his death John's relics were carried back to the Crimea, to the monastery at Partenit at the foot of Mount Ayu-Dag, where during his life he had built a church dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul.

The Orthodox Church commemorates Saint John on May 19 and again on June 26.

Notes

Region (Crimea) mapped to Scythia, the nearest controlled term. Also commemorated Jun 26.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints