St. John of Thessalonica

The future confessor was born in the last decades of the eighth century. Even in his youth he joined the circle of disciples of Gregory Decapolitos, whose authority in the monastic environment was extremely high. It was in the monastery of Saluna that John passed the ceremony of tonsure, finally linking his fate with monasticism.

Soon after, the political situation in Byzantium sharply deteriorated. Emperor Leo V of Armenia, who ascended the throne, initiated the second wave of large-scale persecution of worshippers of sacred images. The official propaganda of that time interpreted the presence of images in temples as a gross violation of the commandments, in fact putting an equal sign between icons and pagan idols. The repressive machine worked methodically: relics were destroyed by fire, and their owners were subjected to imprisonment, expulsion or the death penalty.

The answer to these events was the decision of Gregory Decapolito to leave Thessalon. Together with Joseph the Songwriter and his faithful follower John, he headed straight to Constantinople, the epicenter of religious conflict. For several years, the trio conducted active preaching activities, despite the threat of arrest. Their public speeches focused on theological protection of icon worship, which went against the general line of authorities.

The mission ended with heavy losses for the community. In 820, after long labors and hardships, the ideological leader of the movement Gregory Decapolit died. His disciple John, exhausted by years of struggle and conditions of underground existence, survived the teacher for a short time. The exact date of his death remains unknown, but sources indicate that he passed away shortly after the death of his mentor.

The final stage of this story is connected with the actions of the surviving participant of the events, Joseph the Songwriter. He organized the transfer of the remains of both ascetics to a church specially built for this purpose, consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The relics were placed in the new temple, where Joseph himself later stayed, who continued his hymnographic activity after the final victory of icon worship.