Oleksandria, Kirovograd Province, Ukraine, November 28, 2025
Photo: uoc-news.church
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrated the glorification of a 20th-century ascetic saint this week.
The Holy Synod of the canonical UOC canonized two saints on October 23 last year: Archimandrite Philaret (Kochubei), abbot of Zverinetsky Skete in Kiev, and Blessed John the Wanderer, a Fool for Christ.
And on Tuesday, November 25, the glorification of St. John was celebrated at the Holy Protection Cathedral of the Oleksandria Diocese. The festive service was celebrated by UOC Chancellor His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary with seven brother hierarchs and a host of clergy, reports the UOC’s Information-Education Department.
St. John’s relics. Photo: uoc-news.church
During the glorification rite, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolai of Kirovograd read out the Synodal decision to canonize St. John, while His Eminence Metropolitan Bogolep of Oleksandria read his life. Met. Anthony then blessed those present with an icon of the saint, after which a hymn of praise was sung to Blessed John.
Prayers for peace in Ukraine were offered during the service.
After the dismissal, the UOC Chancellor greeted those parents and called down God’s blessing upon all.
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Photo: uoc-news.church
St. John lived in the 19th-20th centuries. Nothing is known about his childhood and youth. As an adult, he went to the village of Ploske in the Kirovograd Province, presumably from the Cherkasy Province.
Choosing, by God’s will, the ascetic feat of being a Fool for Christ, the saint wandered from village to village, had no roof over his head, and taught people to preserve the Orthodox faith. For this, he received the nickname “Wanderer.”
Blessed John dressed poorly and walked barefoot. Only in severe frost would he wrap rags around his feet. He was also known as “Seer” because of his gift of clairvoyance.
St. John ended his earthly journey as a martyr, being killed by Germans near the village of Ploske on November 25, 1943. The villagers buried the saint’s body in the local cemetery.
In May 2021, St. John’s relics were found and transferred to the Oleksandria Diocese’s Holy Theophany Convent in the village of Dikivka. Miracles of healing began to occur through his relics.
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