Happy Feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco to you!
It may sound sumptuous, but I consider myself a spiritual child of this wonderful Saint of our days. I’ve been lucky to experience his heavenly intercession multiple times in my life.
St. John of Shanghai walked this earth for 70 years, reposing in the Lord on July 02, 1966. During these years, he helped thousands of people, physically and spiritually. After his death, nothing changed. He continues to help as he has promised in his spiritual testament, “Tell everyone, even though I have reposed, I am still alive.”
Saint John knew where he was most needed - hospitals, orphanages, slums where he rescued abandoned babies - and there he went.
We are blessed to have a beautiful wooden chapel in honor of St. John in our Convent. It is built right next door to the National Psychiatric Clinic and its patients easily find their way to it, where they can pray, feel loved and consoled.
I often visited the Holy Virgin Cathedral, “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” in San Francisco, California, where the incorrupt relics of St. John are kept. St. John arrived at his last see of San Francisco, having been reassigned by the Holy Synod, in 1962.
Whenever you come to him, you are filled with joy as if you are visiting your dear father after a long separation, and this feeling is mutual. You know that St. John has been waiting for you and is now happy to see you.
And whenever you return home, feeling miserable from not knowing if it was the last visit or not, St. John comforts you and lets you realise he is everywhere with you and praying for you. And his prayers are oh so powerful!
And whenever you go to see St. John in San Francisco, please, remember me in your prayers and give my regards to dear Vladyka John.
Holy Hierarch John, pray to God for us!
To submit your prayer requests on the Feast Day, please, follow the link.
With love in Christ,
Sister Anastasia
