A miracle of St. John Maximovitch

St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, the Wonderworker - Commemorated on June 19 / July 2 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30352887&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=17423848632&id=1245705083)

  
A miracle of St. John Maximovitch (amateur translation)
In 2004, in the city of Mulino, Oregon, an astonishing and wondrous event took place. It concerns a God-fearing woman of Russian descent, part of the Church of the New Russian Martyrs, where Fr. Sergios Svesnikof serves as a priest. In this parish are preserved as a treasure the epimanikia (clerical cuffs) of St. John. This woman, who was in her last week of pregnancy (actually a short time before her due date), went for her last general appointment. During the appointment, they were shocked when the doctor diagnosed that the child was dead in the mother's womb. Immediately they told her that she would experience contractions and that she would give birth to a dead baby. She fainted and was mourning. When they came to their senses, they prepared to give her a medicine to speed up contractions and induce labor. She told them to stop immediately, and asked them to call their priest, Fr. Sergius. When he learned what occurred, he told them to not do anything, but to wait. A short time later he arrived at the hospital, bringing the epimanikia of St. John. Holding the epimanika he signed her with the sign of the Cross on her womb, and to the great astonishment of all, the baby's heart began to beat again, as the portable ultrasound showed! The child was born a short time later alive and healthy, and was named John in honor of the Saint.
(amateur translation from the Greek here: http://ioannismaximovits.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html)
  

St. John Maximovitch the Wonderworker (http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/Menaion/b5069b.pdf)

  

Απολυτίκιον. Ήχος πλ. Α’ Τον συνάναρχον Λόγον.

Ιωάννη Μαξίμοβιτς, αγγελόμορφε, ιεραρχών θεοφόρων και διδασκάλων σοφών εκλαμψάντων άρτι σάπφειρε πολύτιμε, ως Ορθόδοξων ασκητών καλλονήν και ποταμόν αστείρευτον θαυμασίων, σε ανυμνούντες ευχάς σου θερμάς προς Κύριον αιτούμεθα.

Κοντάκιον Ήχος πλ. δ’. Τη Υπερμάχω

Τον ταπεινόν, απλούν, φιλόθεον, φιλάρετον, σεμνόν, μακρόθυμον, πραυν και ευμπάθητον, ευφημήσωμεν Ορθόδοξον ιεράρχην, Ιωάννην τον Μαξίμοβιτς, μελίσμασιν ως θαυμάτων φρέαρ όντως ακεσώδυνον, πόθω κράζοντες, Χαίροις, χάριτος σκήνωμα.

Μεγαλυνάριον.

Χαίροις, ιεράρχα νεοφανές, μάκαρ Ιωάννη, ταπεινώσεως κορυφή, χαίροις, ο ανύσας ουρανοδρόμον άρτι πορείαν και θαυμάτων κρήνη γενόμενος.

(Από την Ακολουθία του Αγίου ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΜΑΞΙΜΟΒΙΤΣ, εκδ. Ι. Μονής Αγίου Νεκταρίου Τρίκορφου Φωκίδος 2006; Πηγή: Ο Όσιος Φιλόθεος της Πάρου Τεύχος 23 Μάιος – Αύγουςτος 2008, Εκδόσεις “Ορθόδοξος Κυψέλη” Θεσσαλονίκη; http://www.impantokratoros.gr/Ioannis-Maximovits.el.aspx)

Apolytikion of St. John Maximovitch - Tone 5

Like a spiritual daystar in heaven's firmament, thou didst encompass the whole world and didst enlighten men's souls. Hence, thy name is glorified in the East and West. For thou didst shine with the grace of the Sun of Righteousness, O John, our beloved shepherd. Wherefore cease not to entreat Christ, that He may have mercy on our souls.

Additional Troparion to St. John - Tone 5

Lo, Thy care for thy flock in its sojourn / prefigured the supplication which thou dost ever offer up for the whole world. / Thus do we believe, having come to know thy love, O holy hierarch and wonderworker John. / Wholly sanctified by God through the ministry of the all-pure Mysteries / and thyself ever strengthened thereby,/ thou didst hasten to the suffering, O most gladsome Healer, // Hasten now also to the aid of us who honor thee with all our heart.

Kontakion to St. John in Tone 4

Thy heart hath gone out to all who entreat thee with love, O holy hierarch John,/ and who remember the struggle of thy whole industrious life,/ and thy painless and easy repose,// O faithful servant of the all-pure Directress.

(http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?7139-Services-troparia-and-kontakia-to-St.-John-of-Shanghai, also see: http://saintjohnwonderworker.org/servndx.htm)

Icon of St. John Maximovitch from Sretensky Monastery (source)

      

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!