Joannicius the Great ( el, Όσιος Ιωαννίκιος ο Μέγας; born 762,
Bithynia
Bithynia (; Koine Greek: , ''Bithynía'') was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), adjoining the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. It bordered Mysia to the southwest, ...
- November 4, 846 in
Antidium) was a
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
Christian
saint,
sage, theologian and prophet. Well known for his devoted asceticism and defense of
icon veneration, Joannicius spent the majority of his life as a hermit on
Mysian Olympus
Mysians ( la, Mysi; grc, Μυσοί, ''Mysoí'') were the inhabitants of Mysia, a region in northwestern Asia Minor.
Origins according to ancient authors
Their first mention is by Homer, in his list of Trojans allies in the Iliad, and accordi ...
, near what is today
Bursa
( grc-gre, Προῦσα, Proûsa, Latin: Prusa, ota, بورسه, Arabic:بورصة) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the ...
,
Turkey. Joannicius lived during the reign of
Emperor Theophilos, a noted
iconoclast
Iconoclasm (from Greek: grc, εἰκών, lit=figure, icon, translit=eikṓn, label=none + grc, κλάω, lit=to break, translit=kláō, label=none)From grc, εἰκών + κλάω, lit=image-breaking. ''Iconoclasm'' may also be conside ...
, which contrasted with Joannicius's embrace of icon veneration. Icon veneration was later restored to the Byzantine Empire under the reign of
Empress Theodora, a move that some devotees ascribe to Joannicius's influence and prophecies.
Joannicius served in the Byzantine army in his early years before devoting his life to ascetic study and monastic contemplation. He is venerated with a feast day on November 4 in the
Eastern Orthodox Church and
Roman Catholic Church (November 17 in the Old Calendar).
Early life
In a similar fashion to many other Medieval Christian saints, there are nearly no primary sources about Joannicus that are not
hagiographical in nature. Byzantine scholars have therefore referred primarily to two hagiographies as the fundamental sources for Joannicius's life.
[Cyril Mango, "The Two Lives of St Ioannikios and the Bulgarians", Harvard Ukrainian Studies VII (1983) (Okeanos: Essays presented to Ihor Swevcenko),393-404, esp. pp.396-400]
According to his hagiography, Joannicius was born in 762 (or 754) to Myritzikios and Anastaso, of the Boïlas family.
[
] He is known to have had at least one sister.
His family was poor, and possibly of an
iconoclast
Iconoclasm (from Greek: grc, εἰκών, lit=figure, icon, translit=eikṓn, label=none + grc, κλάω, lit=to break, translit=kláō, label=none)From grc, εἰκών + κλάω, lit=image-breaking. ''Iconoclasm'' may also be conside ...
persuasion.
Joannicius was spiritual from a young age, and often sought solitude in order to pray and contemplate.
When Joannicius reached young adulthood (), he was drafted into the elite regiment of the
Excubitors by
Leo IV. He served there until 792, distinguishing himself by saving Emperor
Constantine VI
Constantine VI ( gr, Κωνσταντῖνος, ''Kōnstantinos''; 14 January 771 – before 805Cutler & Hollingsworth (1991), pp. 501–502) was Byzantine emperor from 780 to 797. The only child of Emperor Leo IV, Constantine was named co-em ...
(or an officer, according to another variant) from being captured at the
Battle of Marcellae
The Battle of Marcellae ( bg, Битката при Маркели; el, Μάχη των Μαρκελλών) was fought in 792 between the forces of the Byzantine Empire, led by Constantine VI, and those of the First Bulgarian Empire under Kard ...
.
Following Marcellae, he left the army—apparently
deserting—and joined the Antidion Monastery.
Although he wished to immediately retreat to the wilderness, he remained at the monastery for two years, during which time he memorized the
Psalms by heart. After two years, he escaped to Mount
Uludağ
Uludağ (), the ancient Mysian or Bithynian Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος), is a mountain in Bursa Province, Turkey, with an elevation of .
In Turkish, ''Uludağ'' means "great mountain". In ancient times the range of which it is a part, ext ...
, where he remained as a hermit for the remainder of his life.
Life as an Ascetic
According to the hagiographies, Joannicius spent the rest of his life as an ascetic on
Uludağ
Uludağ (), the ancient Mysian or Bithynian Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος), is a mountain in Bursa Province, Turkey, with an elevation of .
In Turkish, ''Uludağ'' means "great mountain". In ancient times the range of which it is a part, ext ...
, with years dedicated to solitude, study, and prayer. Joannicius spent most of his time reciting the psalms and meditating on the life of Jesus, but the hagiographies also ascribe some miracles and prophecies to him.
Among the many stories related in the hagiographical sources, Joannicius is attributed with saving the island of
Thasos
Thasos or Thassos ( el, Θάσος, ''Thásos'') is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.
The island has an area of and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate re ...
from snakes,
leading Greek captives out of prison,
and saving a nun from breaking her vow. In one of the more famous stories, Joannicius found a nun near Uludağ running away from her cloister, intending to marry. Joannicius intervened, allegedly taking on all the pains of her sin and allowing her to remain a devout nun. Joannicius was allegedly so close to God and so devoted to solitude, he was capable of making himself invisible.
Outside of the miraculous narratives, Joannicius is also given some importance in Byzantine history, particularly regarding icon veneration. Although Joannicius was born into an iconoclastic family, he later became a devout believer in icon veneration. During the reign of the iconoclast Theophilos, Joannicius prophesied that the Byzantine church would eventually re-embrace icon veneration, a prophecy that is interpreted by devotees to have been fulfilled during the reign of Theodora when she restored icon veneration to the Orthodox Church.
Joannicius is also credited with blessing a young
Photios I, who would become a widely venerated
Patriarch of Constantinople.
Death and legacy
According to most sources, Joannicius died in solitude on November 3 or 4, 846.
He was buried at the Antidion Monastery.
He is venerated as a saint by the
Roman Catholic Church, the
Eastern Orthodox Church, and the
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...
. A short prayer that is generally attributed to Joannicius is occasionally said after readings of the Psalms in church services.
''"My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my shelter is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, Glory to You." -'' Prayer of St. Joannicius.
Additional Resources
File:Saint Joannicius the Great.jpg, Eastern Orthodox icon of Saint Joannicius the Great
File:View of Bursa from the hills of Mount Uludag.jpg, Mount of Mysian Olympus (Uludağ
Uludağ (), the ancient Mysian or Bithynian Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος), is a mountain in Bursa Province, Turkey, with an elevation of .
In Turkish, ''Uludağ'' means "great mountain". In ancient times the range of which it is a part, ext ...
in Turkey, with view over Bursa
( grc-gre, Προῦσα, Proûsa, Latin: Prusa, ota, بورسه, Arabic:بورصة) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the ...
), where Saint Joannicius withdrew and accomplished his ascetic feats as a hermit. The mountain is still known as Keşiş Dağı, "Mountain of Monks"
References
External links
Venerable Joannicius the Great - Orthodox Church in AmericaJoannicius the Great - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
{{authority control
762 births
846 deaths
8th-century Byzantine monks
9th-century Byzantine monks
9th-century Byzantine writers
8th-century Christian theologians
9th-century Christian saints
9th-century Christian theologians
Byzantine hermits
Eastern Catholic saints
Church Fathers
Byzantine theologians
Greek Christian monks
Saints from Anatolia
Byzantine Iconoclasm
Byzantine Anatolians
Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars
Deserters
Byzantine Bithynia
People from Bithynia