St John the Almoner was also known as John the Merciful, John the Almsgiver, Johannes Eleemon, or John the Chaplain.
He was the Chalcedonian Patriarch of Alexandria in the 7th century.
He was born in 552 AD in Amathus, Cyprus, and died in 616 AD.
We celebrate his feast day on November 11 every year in the Catholic Church.
| St John the Almoner Biography | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 552 AD |
| Place of Birth | Amathus, Cyprus |
| Profession | Patriarch of Alexandria |
| Place of Work | Cyprus |
| Date of Death | 616 AD |
| Place of Death | Amathus, Cyprus |
| Feast Day | November 11 |
| Canonization | Pre-congregation |
| Patron Saint of |
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St John the Almoner Life History
St John the Almoner, born around 550 AD in Amathus, Cyprus, came from a noble Cypriot family, with his father serving as the governor of Cyprus.
He briefly experienced married life and was a father to one child. However, he chose to enter religious life following the deaths of his wife and child due to illness.
In 608 AD, he became the Patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt, and also served as an archbishop. He earned the nickname “the Almoner” due to his remarkable generosity toward the poor.
St. John extended his aid to refugees fleeing Persian attacks on the Holy Lands. When faced with the threat of a Persian invasion in Alexandria, he was compelled to leave the city and return to his homeland of Cyprus. Notably, he even foretold the date of his own passing.
St. John the Almoner died in 616 AD in Amathus, Cyprus, from natural causes. Some of his relics are preserved in the cathedral at Presburg, Slovakia, and others can be found in the church of San Giovanni l’Elemosiniere in Venice, Italy.
He is recognized as the patron of Casarano, Italy, and the Knights Hospitaller. St. John the Almoner is often depicted as a bishop providing alms to a disabled man and distributing alms to the needy.
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