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John Chrysostomos is revered as one of four great Greek founding fathers of the Church.
Born in 354 AD in Antioch, he was raised by his mother,
Anthusa, and educated by Libanus. In 372 AD he was baptised and then joined a monastery. In the year 381 AD, John became deacon and in 386 became priest and preacher at the Patriarchal Church
of Antioch. Then, in 397, he was made Patriarch of Constantinople. However, his famous sermons and his exemplary attitude aroused envy and hostility, and eventually his opponents were
successful in having him banned to Kakasus in Armenia, and in 407 to Pituys in Kolchis, where he succumbed to the strains of the journey.
The fifteenth century gives rise to many
stories and legends surrounding his miracle workings and he became known as “John the Golden Mouth” because, it was said, the Madonna had asked him for a kiss. Ever since, a golden
light had played around his mouth and his speech, which had hitherto been awkward, was changed so that he then became a renowned preacher. His birth was preceded by such prophecies.
Representations show him in pontifical robes, pallium and mitre. A mural painting dating from around 1500 AD in the hospital of Nicholas von Kues in the town of Bernkastel-Kues on the River
Moselle in Germany shows him with his right hand raised in preaching.
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