Saint John Theristus was born in Palermo, Sicily, then under the control of Muslim conquerors. His mother was a native of southern Italy in the province of Calabria. During a Muslim raid on Calabria, John's father, a farmer, was killed, and his mother, who was pregnant, was captured and taken to Sicily as a slave. It was there that John was born. John grew up as a Christian in a Muslim world. At the age of 14, he escaped and fled to Calabria, crossing Messina's straits in a boat with no sails or ores. Seeing him dressed as a Moor, the inhabitants took him to the Bishop, who interrogated him. The boy answered that he was seeking Baptism, but the Bishop subjected him to harsh trials before giving him his name, 'John ' after St John the Baptist, whose feast day it was, telling little John to spend his life imitating the great Precursor of Christ.
Later, he became a Basilian monk at the abbey of Stilo and later its abbot.
His virtue was beyond reputation. He found in Cursano a treasure that belonged to his family, and following the rule of Saint Basil, he distributed it to the poor. During another instance, he was off to visit a knight who was a benefactor to the monastery. He gave bread and wine he had brought for himself to poor farmers working in the fields. Meanwhile, a furious storm threatened the farmers who were harvesting. John prayed for them, and the storm held off until all the wheat was gathered, saving the poor farmers from starvation. This earned him the nickname "Theristis" (reaper).
According to tradition, King Roger II was gravely wounded in the face but was miraculously healed when the tunic of St. John was touched to his face. As a thanksgiving, Roger II founded the monastery of St. John in memory of the saint. Today, John Theristis is venerated by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Saint John Theristus, pray that we may always strive for holiness and virtue in our lives.
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
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