Prokopi - North Evia | Saint John the Russian "the miracle worker"
Saint John the Russian (Ukrainian: Йоан Руський, 1690, Ukraine - May 27, 1730, Procopius of Cappadocia - grgüp) is a Saint of the Orthodox Church. As a prisoner of war first and then a slave of the Turk Aga, he became known for his kindness, humility and unwavering faith. His sacred relic remains indestructible in Prokopi, Evia and he is a miracle worker, with many testimonies talking about the help he offers in healing the sick.
St. John the Russian was born around 1690 in the region of Little Russia, today's Ukraine, to Christian parents. He enlisted in the army of Peter the Great and took part in the Russo-Turkish War (1710-1711), where he was captured and then sold as a slave to a Turkish officer (hipparchus) who came from the village of Prokopi in Cappadocia in Asia Minor.
The Turkish officer transported the Saint to Prokopi and there tried, as was customary at the time, to persuade him to convert. The Saint strongly resisted all the efforts of the Turk and finally the Turk left the Saint alone to maintain his faith.
The living conditions of the Saint were very harsh. He slept in his master's stable, along with the animals he had entrusted with his care. He ate little, his clothes were poor and he was forced to walk without shoes. In this stable, the Saint prayed, while in the evenings he often visited a nearby church, dedicated to Saint George.
His boss got rich and became one of the strongest men in the area. When at some point a Turkish officer visited Mecca for a pilgrimage, Saint John miraculously sent a plate of rice from Prokopi to Mecca for his boss. At first they did not believe him, but when the Turk returned from Mecca bringing the plate with him, they were convinced and this miracle became known to all those who lived in the area.
The Turk, wanting to honor the Saint, offered to improve his living conditions. The Saint, however, refused and continued to take care of his boss's animals and stay in the stable. Working during the day and praying at night, St. John the Russian lived the rest of his life until May 27, 1730, when he rested at the age of 40.
The Holiness of John could not be hidden, as well as his love for God and people. As his end drew near, he asked to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest, knowing the fanaticism of the Turks, in order to protect the divine Communion, hid it in an apple and so passed it quietly through the Turkish house in Agios. His body was handed over by his boss to the Christians of Procopius, so that he could be buried according to the rules of Christianity.The body of the Saint was buried in the Christian cemetery and remained there for three and a half years. After this, the Saint appeared in the sleep of an old priest asking him to return his holy relic.
In 1832 the Turks tried to cremate the holy relic of St. John, when the regent of Egypt Ibrahim Pasha rebelled against Sultan Mahmut II, who sent Oglu Osman to quell the revolution. After a fierce battle the village was disbanded and the churches were desecrated. Although they set fire and threw there even the tent of the Saint, it remained intact and to the great surprise of the Turks did not turn to ashes.
When in 1834 or 1868 a large Temple of the Great Kingdom was built in Prokopi, his relic was transferred there. Three times, however, the Holy Relic of the Saint returned to the old temple at night, while the faithful carried it during the day to the new Temple. After many vigils, his remains were permanently transferred to the new Temple.
The Saint remained in this church until 1924. With the exchange of the populations of Greece and Turkey that took place then, the Holy Relic of St. John the Russian was transferred to New Prokopi, Evia, where the Greeks living in Prokopi of Asia Minor settled. The transfer to Neo Prokopi, Evia, was made possible thanks to the efforts of Panagiotis Papadopoulos.
The late Panagiotis Papadopoulos chartered the ship "Vassilios Destounis" at his own expense, with which, in addition to the relic of the Saint, 800 patriots were transported to Greece. The ship went first from Asia Minor to Rhodes and then to Evia.
Saint John the Russian, together with Saint Nicholas, Saint John the Forerunner, Saint David the Elder in Rovies, Evia, Saint John Kalyvitis, Saint Daniel the Stylite, Saint Paraskevi and the 14 (now) Saints of Evia, constitute the pride and hope of Evia and the whole world.
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