Dear Fr. Jacob,

I visited St. John Maximovitch yesterday in San Francisco. I wanted to be certain I had told you the rest of the story. My mother was not given complete healing, but I attribute that to the Lord giving her what was necessary for her salvation.

My mother fell asleep in the Lord on July 12, 2005. In the intervening years her condition slowly deteriorated; she required oxygen, she developed small cell lung cancer which ultimately went to her brain. Through the intercession of St. John Maximovitch, she had time to reengage her faith, and she received the Mysteries of Confession and Communion in that time. She also was able to see two grandsons come into the world.

I truely believe that God glorifies his saints, and that St. John Maximovitch interceded on my mother's behalf providing her with four and a half additional years of life.

Glory to God in all things!

Dear Fr Jacob,

I stumbled across your parish site and saw you wanted to hear of miracles attributed to St Johns' intercession.

I attend SS Peter and Paul in Phx Az. The first time I ever stepped into an Orthodox Church was June 10. 2007. I had shared that I was seeking, and had studied Roman Catholicism for almost 20 yrs with a friend who (a prostestant minister!) asked if I had checked out the EOC. I decided that I would visit an EOC if there was one close to where I live. I found SS Peter and Paul and went to visit-more like "check off my list" lol...because I think I had decided to become RC. That Sunday the priest shared a bit about St John and his life, what stuck in my mind was "he is known to visit people in their dreams". After the gifts were consecrated I had an incredible experience, I knew the prescence of the Lord was there- in the Eucharist. It was a distinct change, He wasn't there and then He was.

The service was a so-so service, there weren't alot of people attending that Sunday...the choir was off....nothing special. In fact I remember thinking to myself that there was no way I could join this church because of the incense!!! I still chuckle because I now sing in the choir and love the incense! I had a pretty straight forward ev-protestant upbringing.

I had decided that Jesus Christ truly was present in the Eucharist, and that Sunday it was confirmed. I will digress for a minute. My first inclination was to take off my shoes and fall on my face before my Lord and Savior.

I went home and spent the afternoon in prayer. That night before going to sleep I asked if what happened was a sign that I should become Orthodox. I had a very interesting dream that night (and for the next 2 weeks!) where a strangely dressed man came to me. He was surrounded by bright light, almost goldish-orange in color...his face looked dark in comparison to the bright background. The next morning I thought "did that priest give me a post hypnotic suggestion about that Saint?" That question is funny because I knew it was St John even though I didn't say it...and I didn't question how I would know it was him! Also, I didn't see an icon of St John...in fact I didn't see what an icon looked like until much later.

The dreams finally stopped after I gave up and said.."I will look into becoming Orthodox". I finally went back to SS Peter and Paul and after the Divine Liturgy spoke with Fr David Brum. I told him I didn't want him to think I was crazy but....and then I shared my experience. No, he didn't think I was crazy...lol.

That was in late Sept or the first part of Oct. I was received as a catechumen in Nov and was chrismated Dec 22, 2007. Now here is my miracle (although I think the entire experience is miraculous) I had been diagnosed with having degenerative arthristis in my thumbs, the joint on my left hand was bone on bone and the right was almost as bad. I saw the x-rays myself, that was over 4 yrs ago. I was in pain a great deal of the time in spite of medication. My hands were deformed, I was unable to spread out my fingers (including the thumb) after I was recieved into the church I noticed my hands weren't hot-from the inflamation. In fact, they didn't hurt. I looked at them closely, I had my family look at them to confirm what I saw-they were no longer deformed looking. Your thumb is where you get the strength in your hands, I had almost none in my left hand and the right hand wasn't much better. My hands continue to improve and there isn't any pain.

The amazing thing is I still have arthritis in my shoulders and neck...lol. It is a contrast to my hands. I believe it was through the prayers of my dear Vladika that my hands are healed.

For sure the reason I found my way into the true Church, the source of continuous joy in my life...is because of Vladika John. I have asked him to pray that I would grow in the faith and I am surprised (why I don't know!) at how quickly everything has fallen into place. My family originates from Georgia, an ancestor fought in the Rev war and I have a considerable number of relatives that still live there. This is my family www.morrisoncampground.org The campground is in Rome Ga and is still operational...lol.

I believe I am the first Orthodox in my family :-) but I could be wrong :-)

I plan on visiting one day and will most likely fly in through Atlanta. If I do I will be sure and visit your parish.

Dear Father,

My wife had applied for a job as a social worker. She wanted this job very badly and was very sad on Tuesday when she did not hear from them. She was hoping to hear that they wanted her to come in for a second interview. I was getting ready to leave for a dentist appoint. I got in the car and said a quick prayer to Saint John asking that he intercede on my wife’s behalf. When I returned home she told me that they called and said she had the job. St. John is truly a wonderworker. God is glorified in his saints.

The following is from an email sent to Fr. Jacob after the repose of the father of the writer. Specific details have been omitted to protect the writer's privacy:

[After her father's repose. ed.] I was asked by the family to "do the service" at (unfortunately) the crematorium (he wanted to be laid to rest in a wood around the place he used to work, but he couldn't be buried there so I pleaded God to make it right) so I asked the blessing of Father G at Saint [parish name]. He gave it.

During all this peace remained, but it became harder to calm my mind and heart as the reality kicked in. For about 3 months it didn't really hit me but around the time of Great Lent, I began to feel the grief acutely, to the heart, and despite many blessings and being able to pray, during that time it got much worse, and knowing it was to be his birthday on Holy Friday 25th April, filled me with dread. During Holy week or there about I had a blessed dream - which I now accept as one of the many gifts from my patron, Saint Katerina, who must've spoken, along with Saint John, to the Lord for me. I don't know if I'd cried that night but I had been crying, sobbing, most nights up until the dream.

The Dream:

I was in a large Church or Cathedral with many people around but not near me. I was at the back near the choir of Monks and Nuns who were singing. There seemed to be an Orthodox service there as the Icon screen area was busy with Fathers and Deacons. In front of me about 25 feet away was a 'dais', a table raised with decoration around a covered body that was flat. It had on a round domed headpiece and the face was covered also. I could hear the choirs' hymns and heard a few times sing the name "Holy Father, John Maximovich". A woman came in and boldly walked over to the dais and began shouting angrily and with venom at this body, pointing and almost hitting it, using foul language and awful blasphemy.

I was shocked and appalled and was about to go and stop her, but was watched by one of the Nuns. So I went and spoke to her standing just apart from the choir pointing out what she was doing. She calmly said "The Lord has brought her here; Saint John knows what she needs."

When I returned to my place the woman was lying on the floor behind the body kicking it's shoulders and still shouting. As I was about to go and grab her to stop her, I stopped too as the body on the dais filled up with air, expanded and began breathing, after a few moments it sat up and turned round and looked at her. She was shocked, became still, and gasped! I gasped at the same time she did, and we both held our breath. He continued to look at her for what seemed like an age, then simply turned back round, lay down, pulled the cover over his face and body, put his arms across his chest, breathed out and became 'flat' again. When she came to her senses she lay there amazed and kept joyfully shouting 'Saint John has healed me' until I went over and lifted her to her feet saying "Jesus has healed you, Saint John has prayed for you".

Then I woke up.

I looked at the clock next to our bed. It said 3.30 am. I checked I had not disturbed my husband too much then went and switched on the computer, accessed the Internet and typed in 'Saint John Maximovich photos'.When the options for perusal came up I opened [a website with photos of St. John Maximovitch]. It was the person in the dream! Tears poured down my face as I looked upon the person from the dream. My heart and mind filled with wonder, and I am so humbled that God would be so merciful and loving as to grant me a visit from a blessed Father who has fallen asleep.

"It is hardly to doubt that Vladyka manifestly pleased God by his truly ascetic life and struggle of prayer. It is worthy of attention that when we served his funeral on the sixth day (for various reasons I was long delayed en route, and they waited a long time for the funeral on Thursday, at six o'clock in the evening), his coffin stood open. Not only were there no signs of bodily decomposition whatsoever, but Vladyka lay as one sleeping; his hands had their usual appearance and color and were soft and warm... his incorruption was obvious' (from a letter of Metropolitan Philaret)."

This is how I saw him before he sat up but 'flatter'. He had the same colouring, though I did not notice the items under his hands only his Bishops crown.

Since that time I have discovered the woman was my 'self' in grief, not in faith. That was pointed out during a conversation I had with my best and soul-friend, P. God has (yet again!) made the way for me to accept that everything was, and is, as it should be - if only (like Father Dennis said following this weeks gospel) if only I will trust Him! I had thought I was blessed during the first months following Dad's passing at being kept from the force of it, but since that time I've realised I was being kept for the fullness of God's plan for all concerned, especially my mother and husband (who were beginning to despair about the state of my mind and heart), and all who have found comfort through the telling of the experience. My heart may be broken, but God knows and He is the best physician for broken hearts.

The grief is turning to joy and peace as I pass through this valley of death knowing God has blessed it, making it a journey of LIFE, and has not ceased to do all things... and loves us so much as to allow us to participate in his salvation for all creation.

I pray Dad is waiting with Jesus until I am blessed to see them face to face. Lord, have mercy.

Thank you my Dearest Lord Jesus, together with your most pure Mother Theotoks, and all Your Saints; especially Katerina, Seraphim and John Maximovich.

Glory to Thee O God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit; I love Thee; now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.