Saint John of Kronstadt was born on October 19, 1829 in the village of Sura, Arkhangelsk province, into a poor family of rural sexton Ilia Sergiev and his wife Theodora. The baby was very weak, so the parents hastened to baptize him, giving him the name John in honor of St. John of Rila. Since childhood, the future pastor was accustomed to prayer and church worship, and living in poverty early brought up in him compassion for those in need.
Teaching was difficult for John at first, but after fervent prayer, according to his own recollections, his mind seemed to open up: he began to read, understand and memorize better. Subsequently, he successfully graduated from the Arkhangelsk Theological College and seminary and was accepted into the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Already during his studies, he showed filial care for his mother: after his father's death, he worked part-time in the academic office and sent her his small earnings.
In 1855, John Sergiev graduated from the Academy with a PhD in theology, married Elisaveta Nesvitskaya and was ordained a priest. The place of his ministry was St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kronstadt. His whole future life turned out to be connected with this city, so people began to call him John of Kronstadt.
From the first years of his ministry, Father John paid special attention to those whom society rejected: the poor, workers, the sick, drunkards, and people who had lost hope. He visited squalid homes every day, talked to people, comforted, helped financially, often giving away everything he had. His love was not an abstract sermon: it was expressed in constant service to a particular person. He himself said that it is necessary to love a person even in his sin and shame, without confusing the image of God in a person with the evil that exists in him.
Over time, thousands of people from all over Russia began to flock to Father John. He was known as an ardent prayer book, preacher, philanthropist and miracle worker. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy daily, received many confessors, prayed for the sick, and answered letters and telegrams. Large donations passed through his hands, which he immediately sent to help those in need. With these funds, a House of Diligence was established in Kronstadt with a school, workshops, a church and an orphanage; he also contributed to the construction of monasteries and temples.
Father John was not only a pastor, but also a talented teacher. For more than twenty-five years, he taught the Law of God at the Kronstadt College and gymnasium. His lessons were characterized by vivacity, cordiality and attention to each student. He sought to raise not only a literate person, but above all a Christian.
His sermons and diary entries, especially the book "My Life in Christ", made up a great spiritual legacy of the saint. It reflects his inner struggle, prayer experience and the main idea of his entire ministry: the Christian life is impossible without living faith, repentance, struggle with passions and love for God and neighbor.
In the last years of his life, Father John suffered from a serious illness, but continued to serve and receive communion daily. On December 10, 1908, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the last time, and on December 20 he peacefully departed to the Lord. His funeral was attended by tens of thousands of people. The saint was buried in the St. John's Monastery on Karpovka in St. Petersburg.
On June 7-8, 1990, the righteous John of Kronstadt was canonized at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. His memorial day is set on December 20 / January 2 — the day of his blessed death.