The friend deeply rejoiced at this change in the life of his companion, and their intention to work together in the field of monastic life was ready to come true. But unexpectedly an important obstacle was encountered, namely on the part of the pious Anthusa. Having brought up her son and put him on the path of life, she achieved the goal of her many years of care and, like a mother, of course, rejoiced at her son's success.

What sorrow struck her tender motherly heart when she learned that her beloved John had decided to enter the monastic life! All her hopes were shattered, and she could not bear it. Summoning to her aid all the strength of the persuasiveness of her motherly love, she began to beg him with tears not to plunge her into a second widowhood and orphanhood, and these tears could not but shake his decision. He renounced his idea and remained at his mother's house, although now he was completely devoid of all worldly hobbies and devoted himself entirely to feats of piety, studying the Holy Scriptures, which forever became the main source that filled his thirsty soul. Together with Basil, they attended a special ascetic school, where the Holy Scriptures were taught by the most famous teachers of that time, the presbyters Flavian and Diodorus, and these pious teachers, and especially Diodorus, finally strengthened him in the idea of devoting himself to the feats of teaching and piety. Probably through this school, or perhaps even earlier, John became close to the pious Bishop Meletius, who, paying attention to the gifted and pious youth, bound him to himself and performed the holy sacrament of baptism on him. At this time John was about 22 years old (369). The reason why his baptism was postponed for so long is partly due to the custom of the time to postpone baptism until adulthood, when all the hobbies of youth have passed, and also, probably, to the circumstances of the time. The Church of Antioch at this time was overwhelmed by sad turmoil, which was carried out by the Arians. Having seized power in their own hands, they boldly and strongly pressed the Orthodox, sowing discord among themselves, so that their pious bishop Meletius was exiled several times. In this state of affairs was in the first years of John's childhood and continued at intervals for more than twenty years. Therefore, it is quite natural that Anthusa, deeply devoted to the Orthodox Church, had enough reason to postpone the baptism of her son, so as not to become an accomplice in the pernicious heresy. Now the troubles had somewhat subsided, Bishop Meletius could return to Antioch and reoccupy his throne, and the Christians of Antioch could be baptized with a clear conscience and safely. Baptism had a profound effect on John. If even before he had decided to devote himself to the spiritual life, now, having accepted the bath of rebirth, he clung with all his soul to the feats of piety, and the archpastor Meletius, noticing his pious inclinations, elevated him to the office of reader, which gave him the opportunity to fully satisfy his love for the reading of the Holy Scriptures. In order to concentrate entirely on this exercise, John even took a vow of abstinence in speech, and - a recent lawyer and orator - he became almost silent: he refrained from all idle talk and jokes, and thus accumulated in himself the spiritual strength that he needed later.

Meanwhile, troubles began again in Antioch; the Arians, taking advantage of the assistance of the emperor Valens, again began to press the Orthodox, and Meletius was exiled to prison. The situation of the Orthodox in general was difficult, and the clergy in particular. For John, a new grief was added: his pious mother Anthusa died. He remained lonely, and then he decided to put an end to this sinful world, full of all kinds of turmoil, anxiety and sorrow, and to retire to the desert - for a hermit's life. His friend Basil was triumphant and happy for his contemporary, and both of them tried in general to convert as many friends and comrades of their youth as possible to this true wisdom. John himself, burning with zeal for spiritual asceticism, was therefore all the more distressed when he learned that one of his friends, who had recently given himself over to true wisdom and strove for asceticism, had changed his mind and, carried away by love for a certain Hermione, decided to leave the hermitage and marry his beloved. Extremely grieved by this, John wrote to his friend two extremely powerful and eloquent exhortations, in which, mourning the fall of his friend and depicting the vanity of the world with its charms, he called on Theodore to abandon his vain thoughts and return to wisdom. The exhortations - this is his first Christian edifying creation - had a force and Theodore repented of his weakness, returned to asceticism and subsequently became the bishop of Mopsuestia[5].

The young friends with all the fervor of youth gave themselves over to spiritual feats, and John now competed with his friend Basil in matters of piety: asceticizing himself, he encouraged others to ascetic deeds in deed and word, arousing in the lazy a striving for heaven - through the mortification of his flesh and its enslavement to the spirit. Rumors of their extraordinary asceticism spread throughout the surrounding area, and those suffering in spirit and body were drawn to them from everywhere and received healing. About this time John wrote his two words "on contrition" to the monks Demetrius and Stelachius, giving them a lesson of consolation to all those who suffer spiritually and are contrite for their sins. The Orthodox inhabitants of Antioch were amazed at the feats of the young monks, and even the council of bishops came to the idea of how good it would be to bring them closer to the Church, which was then in need of self-sacrificing pastors. And then a rumor spread that a plan had already been drawn up to take them both and ordain them as bishops. In those troubled times, such cases were not uncommon: young people were also elevated to the rank of bishop, if they proved worthy of this dignity in their intelligence and piety. The honor was to be great, but this news greatly astonished and alarmed John. It was for this reason that he withdrew into the wilderness, in order to save his soul in solitude, far from the troubles of this world, and now they again want to place him in the midst of these troubles, and moreover in such a high rank that he did not even dare to think of. Therefore, he decided to evade this election in one way or another, and since his friend Basil turned out to be more inclined to the pre-election of God, he even deliberately assisted him in this, and he himself took refuge in the wilderness. Basil was indeed taken and ordained a bishop, and when, having learned of the deed of his friend, he began to complain about him, Reader John, in justification of himself and in consolation of his friend, wrote a famous book: "Six Words on the Priesthood," in which he set forth all the sublimity and difficulty of pastoral service. This book has forever become an indispensable guide for every shepherd of souls, and it is from it that all true pastors have drawn spiritual courage and strength to this day, ruling the word of truth well. Basil, having calmed down from his excitement, zealously devoted himself to his archpastoral service and, as bishop of Rafan, subsequently participated in the 2nd Ecumenical Council in the year 381.

Meanwhile, John, having escaped the episcopacy, gave himself up even more strongly to his spiritual asceticism. In this time of troubles, when there was a heavy uncertainty in political life, and the pernicious domination of the Arians continued in ecclesiastical life, many pious people preferred to leave this miserable world with its troubles, troubles, and calamities for the better, in order to find complete peace in the wilderness. There, in silent solitude, in the midst of eternally beautiful nature, all the evils of this world fell silent, and the hermits could care with a lightened heart for the salvation of their souls. For this reason the surrounding mountains of Antioch were filled with hermits, and a whole community was formed of them, which led a life full of spiritual feats. They were true soldiers of Christ, constantly standing on guard against the attacks of the flesh. Already at midnight they rose to prayer and resounded the desert mountains with harmonious psalmody. Having rested for a while, they then rose again at sunrise and performed matins, after which each was occupied in his cell with reading the Holy Scriptures or copying holy books. During the day, at certain hours, they again gathered for common prayer, which was called the Third, Sixth, Ninth and Vespers Hours, and in the intervals they were engaged in various kinds of work, by which they obtained their meager food. According to the vow of non-acquisitiveness, everything was common to them, as in the times of the Apostles, so that they did not know the very words of mine and yours. The life of these ascetics was difficult and austere, but she found full reward for herself in that spiritual peace which she established, delighting them with hope in God's mercy and joy in the grace that descended upon them from above. John spent four years in this monastic monastery (375-378), and the austere life only increased his zeal for asceticism even more. True, for him, who had been brought up in contentment, under the loving care of his mother, in a rich house, where all his needs were met by servants, it was more difficult than for anyone to endure all the hardships of the hermit's life in this austere monastery of ascetics. And indeed, he himself was afraid of the labors that lay ahead of him, especially since even because of his very weakness of body he could not endure such severe asceticism. But weak in body, he was powerful in spirit, and not only overcame all the difficulties of monastic life, but at the same time waged a struggle against the dangerous spirit of the times, which rose up against monasticism. This spirit hostile to monasticism began with the accession of the emperor Valens. Carried away by the networks of the Arians, Valens turned out to be a cruel enemy of the Orthodox and began a merciless persecution against them. Knowing that the main stronghold of Orthodoxy was monasticism, he directed all his fury against the monks; by his order the famous Nitrian monasteries were devastated, and this persecution ended with the barbarous burning of 24 Orthodox pastors in Nicomedia. Even the pagans were indignant at such inhumanity, but nevertheless there were many who, taking advantage of the mood of the emperor, themselves assisted him, placing all kinds of obstacles for those who wished to accept the monastic life and presenting the monks as enemies of the fatherland and the state. And it was during this difficult time that John came out as a champion of monasticism and wrote "three books to those who are hostile to those who attract them to the monastic life." In these books he poured out all the fervor of his monastic heart and eloquently proved what happiness the soul finds in the wilderness, in solitary communion with God. Under the same impression, he wrote a short discourse under the title: "A Comparison of the Power, Wealth, and Privileges of the Tsar with the True and Christian Wisdom of Monastic Life." These works constitute an inexhaustible source of edification for monks and those striving for monasticism. Edifying others, John treated himself even more strictly, and not being satisfied with the exploits of the coenobitic monastery, he finally withdrew from it, in order to subject his flesh to even more severe trials by a solitary life in a cave. He felt within himself the power of Elijah or John the Baptist, and like them he strove into the wilderness, in order to prepare himself far from the world for the great service that lay ahead of him. In his zeal for asceticism, he would be ready to settle forever in the wilderness; but God's Providence judged otherwise. Such a great lamp should not have been under a bushel, in the wilderness and in a cave, but it was necessary to shine brightly for all on the candlestick of the church. Severe asceticism upset John's health, and he had to leave the wilderness and return to Antioch. There he was greeted with joy by Blessed Meletius and ordained to the dignity of deacon. Having previously declined the high rank of bishop, John now humbly accepted the dignity of deacon (380), and from that time a new period in his life began. 

The ministry of John Chrysostom as a deacon and presbyter in Antioch (381-398)

Having accepted the sacred order of deaconate, John again returned to the world, but no longer as its slave, but as an Agent in it. now, as a servant of the Church, he went out to fight against these delights and, filled with spiritual courage, began to fulfill his service with zeal. The duties of a deacon at that time were very difficult. In addition to fulfilling the bishop's assignments and serving in the church, the bishop had to take special care of the various needs of weak and poor Christians. He had to visit the sick and console the dying, help the poor and find funds for their maintenance. The position was difficult, requiring complete selflessness and love, but at the same time it was an excellent school for preparing for higher pastoral service. In the wilderness, John, anxious for the salvation of his own soul and not seeing all the infirmities and misfortunes that depress suffering humanity, could weaken in his love for mankind, since not seeing the unfortunate before him, it is not difficult to completely forget about them. His present service had once again placed him in the midst of real life and had opened before his eyes this whole world, full of tears and suffering.

In this way John received a double upbringing: upbringing in the wilderness, which strengthened his spirit and purified his heart to the ability to contemplate the Divine, and upbringing in social life, which shows people in their weaknesses, misfortunes, unrighteousness, and vices. The picture is sad, but acquaintance with it was necessary for him in the service that lay ahead of him, and it made of him the true pastor and benefactor of the suffering, as he later became. The first silver he gave to the poor was his own, and from that time until his death he called nothing his own, and all that he had he considered to belong to the poor.

The rank of deaconate was not combined with the church teaching that belonged to presbyters, and the very duties of this primarily charitable service did not allow time and opportunity for such teaching. But not coming out with verbal teaching, John did not abandon his written teaching, and to this time belong several of his remarkable discourses, such as the "Three Homilies to the Ascetic Stagirius", in which he gave one of the friends of his youth consolation in the despondency that had overtaken him, proving that everything in human life is under the guidance of God's Providence and therefore everything is directed for the better, and precisely towards the shame of the age-old misanthrope – the devil. as well as the discourses "On Virginity" and "To the Young Widow". Both of these considerations are full of the most lofty thoughts, and the latter is all the more cordial because in it John could refer to the example of his own mother, who found sufficient consolation in widowhood, devoting herself entirely to the maternal care of the worthy education of her son. In all these considerations, John was a strict zealot for bodily purity, and they contain everything that can only serve to strengthen the spirit in the struggle against the temptations of the flesh. Finally, it can be thought that at this time he published in a final revised form the book "On the Priesthood", which, at first written only for his friend Basil and addressed in a close circle of friends, was now published for the edification of all ministers of the Church and all Christians in general.

In the rank of deacon, John served for five years. Meanwhile, the pious Bishop Meletius ended his life full of trials, and in his place was chosen the presbyter Flavian, respected by all for his pastoral teaching. The new bishop had long been acquainted with John, who had been his pupil in the Antiochian school, and seeing in him a most useful figure for the Church, he elevated him to the rank of presbyter (386). John was at that time about 39 years old, and having reached the age of a perfect man, with full awareness of the importance of his lofty service, he entered upon the exercise of his office.

He had a lot of work ahead of him. If anywhere, it was in Antioch that pastors were needed who would have enough courage and zeal to fight against many obstacles to a truly Christian life. Antioch was one of the largest and richest cities in the east. At this time, it numbered up to 200,000 souls, of which half were pagans and Jews, and half were Christians. Paganism, which was living out its days, had its most prominent representatives here, who, unwilling to recognize the obviously triumphant victory of Christianity, tried to put up against it pitiful fragments of their learning and philosophy, and at the same time imperceptibly renew paganism itself, interpreting it in a higher sense than it was usually understood. In pagan schools taught famous rhetoricians and philosophers of that time, under whom even Christians studied, and many of the latter could not help but be infected by the views of their teachers. On the other hand, the Jews, strong in their wealth and industry, held the population in their hands, and, as haters of Christianity, were sometimes not averse to making an alliance even with the pagans, in order in one way or another to strike blows at the hated religion of the Cross. Further, the very co-existence of the Christians with the pagans and Jews, with whom they had to be bound by numerous business, commercial, and industrial interests, naturally put a peculiar stamp on them, and they could no longer have that integrity and immediacy of religious mood which is found in a city inhabited only by Christians. For the most part, they were still semi-pagans. They accepted Christianity as a religion, fulfilled its external prescriptions and decrees, but it was still little imbued with its spirit, and in life there were many manners and customs that echoed paganism. Under the influence of such a mixture of convictions, teachers constantly appeared among Christians who wanted to comprehend and remake Christianity with their own minds, like pagan philosophers and rhetoricians. Hence disputes and strife arose between different teachers, various trends and parties were formed, which often waged a fierce struggle among themselves, which brought extreme confusion into church life. Some teachers directly preached heresies and various errors, became the heads of schisms, and all this together made the Church of Antioch like a ship tossed about by incessant winds. There were representatives of various heresies - Arians, Anomoeans, and Gnostics in their various forms, there were leaders of schisms, and the pastors of the Church had to fight against all these enemies of the true faith. But side by side with religious disorders there were also moral and social ones. If religion was not pure, then morality could not be high. Of course, there were highly pious people, fully worthy of their calling, but the majority led a semi-pagan life, indulging in passions and all kinds of amusements unbecoming for Christians. For them, theaters or circuses were more attractive than churches. And at the same time, there was little Christian love for one's neighbor. As in large industrial cities in general, and especially in ancient times, the most abject poverty huddled next to untold riches.

In order to rule the ship of the Church so stormy for good, valiant and self-sacrificing pastors were truly needed.