St. John Chrysostom
Antioch was a capital city subject to the Roman emperor Theodosius I in 344, the year John Chrysostom was born. He was the only son of the chief commander of the Roman Imperial Army based in Syria. His mother was a Christian. Widowed at the age of 20, she never remarried but made the spiritual instruction of her children her highest priority. Eloquence was the highest art form of the time and so John studied under the most famous orators of the age, He trained under the masters of science and literature and his advanced studies included philosophy and religion. His genius became apparent as he pleaded legal cases before the bar and at twenty, John was already famous. His interests then turned away from the world of wealth and opportunity that was already his, and he began a serious study of Sacred Scripture. Rejecting worldly ideas, he spent his time in prayer and silence while adopting austere penitential practices. He became aware that prayer was the great channel of heavenly grace...