The Holy Great Martyr John the New, Sochavsky lived in the XIV century in the city of Trebizond. It is called Sochava because his relics rest in the cathedral church in Sochava. John was engaged in trade, was pious, firm in Orthodoxy and merciful to the poor. By the nature of his occupation, he often sailed to other countries. And once he had to sail on a ship, the owner of which was not an Orthodox Christian. In a dispute about the faith, Saint John, who was well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers, denounced the unrighteousness of the shipwright, and he bore a grudge against the saint. During the ship's stay in Belgrade of the Bosphorus (according to other sources, in Akkerman – Belgorod on the Dniester), the owner of the ship reported to the governor of the city, a pagan fire-worshipper, that St. John wanted to renounce Christ and worship fire.

The governor invited the saint to the palace and received him with honor. "From many we know that you are a worthy man," he said kindly, "and we are very glad to hear that you are captivated by our beautiful and true faith. And since you love it voluntarily, do not hesitate to be our friend, reject the ridiculous and shameful faith of the Christians, loudly shame their law before the people who are now assembled, praise our faith and, as you promised, do it immediately! For this you will be honored by the king and will live in contentment like our brother." The saint prayed in secret, calling for help from Him Who said: "When they lead you to be betrayed, do not be anxious beforehand what to say to you, and do not deliberate; but whatever is given to you in that hour, that also speak, for it is not you who will speak, but the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11). And the Lord gave him courage and understanding. Filled with Divine zeal, St. John, looking menacingly at the governor, said: "You are clearly lying! All this is your invention and the trick of Satan! It is better for yourself, unfortunate one, to know the truth and be baptized, in order to be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven." After this, he loudly confessed his faith in the One God, glorified in the Trinity, and himself as a Christian. After this he was given over to cruel tortures: the saint was mercilessly beaten with sticks, so that his body was covered with blood. The holy martyr prayed, thanking God, Who had vouchsafed him to shed blood for Him and to wash away his sins, and the torturers scourged him even more strongly, so that he no longer began to speak. But since it was already evening, they put the beaten man in chains and dragged him to prison. The next day they again tried to force him to worship fire, but all the efforts of the torturers were useless. Saint John glorified Christ and tried to convert the pagans to the true faith. No tortures broke the will of the holy martyr. "Strike with rods," he said to the governor, "burn with fire, drown in water, or cut with a sword, and if you have other, more severe torments, do not be lazy to inflict them on me: I am ready to accept everything joyfully for the sake of love for my Christ."

Saint John was tied by the legs to the tail of a wild horse, which they began to drive through the streets of the city. The Jews laughed at the sufferings of the martyr. One of them caught up with the dragged martyr and cut off his head. The executioners untied the body and left it with its head in the same place in the middle of the street, and none of the Christians dared to bury it.

At night many saw over the body of the martyr a pillar of fire and a multitude of luminous lampadas. Three light-bearing men sang sacred hymns and burned incense around him. A certain Jew took these men for Christian priests and wanted to shoot one with a bow. But when he drew the bowstring, the bow and arrow seemed to grow to his hands — he became motionless, bound by the invisible power of God. With the onset of morning, the vision disappeared, and the shooter continued to stand motionless. Having told the assembled inhabitants of the city about the night vision and the punishment of God that had befallen him, he freed himself from invisible bonds. Learning about what had happened, the governor allowed the remains of the great martyr to be buried. The body was buried at the local church. This happened between 1330-1340.

The owner of the ship, repenting of what he had done, wanted to secretly take the body of the martyr. At night, he dug up the grave and intended to remove the relics. Saint John in a dream vision warned the presbyter of the church about this, and he stopped the thief. The venerable relics were transferred to the altar of the church, where they lay for more than 70 years. Various miracles occurred from the relics: light shone, fragrance spread, and many sick people were healed. The ruler of the Moldavian-Wallachian principality, Alexander, transferred the relics of St. John the New to his capital Sochava.

June 4

Eleazar and Nazarius of Olonets, Venerable

The Monks Eleazar and Nazarius Olonetsky are the founders of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist on the island of Murma on Lake Onega. In manuscript saints they are sometimes called Greeks, which allows us to consider them disciples of the Monk Lazarus of Murmansk, a native of Constantinople (XV century), and the day of their death is shown as June 4. But in what year they died and how they performed the feat of life remained unknown.

Methodius, Abbot of Peshnosh, Venerable

Преподобный Мефодий еще в молодых летах, в числе первых, пришел к преподобному Сергию и под руководством сего великого наставника иноческой жизни провел несколько лет. О его родителях, времени и месте рождения ничего неизвестно. Ревнуя жить в безмолвии, он по благословению прп. Сергия удалился искать пустынное место. И в глуши дубового леса за рекой Яхромой, в 25 верстах от Дмитрова, на небольшом возвышении среди болота поставил он себе келлию для подвигов отшельничества. В суровом посте и постоянных молитвах текла жизнь преподобного, и его душа все более и более отрешалась от мира тленного и земного, стремясь в страны горние, небесные. Но как пламень костра просвечивается даже и через лесную чащу, так и подвижническое житие св. Мефодия не укрыли болота и леса от ревнителей благочестия, которые не замедлили собраться, чтобы под его руководством сделаться достойными будущей награды, обещанной Господом всем верным Его последователям. В это время преподобный Сергий, посетив любимого ученика, дал ему совет построить обитель и храм на другом, более сухом и обширном месте и благословил то самое, где и была основана обитель. Преподобный Мефодий, как послушный сын, исполнил волю наставника. Он сам трудился при строении храма и келлий, «пеш» нося деревья через речку, которую от того назвали Пешношею, а за обителью осталось навсегда имя Пешношской.

С 1391 года преподобный Мефодий стал игуменом своего монастыря. Поселившиеся здесь иноки вели трудолюбивый образ жизни, сами себе добывая пропитание и исполняя все нужные для обители работы, так что эта обитель по преимуществу была обителью трудолюбия. Только частые посты и молитвы разнообразили жизнь пешношских иноков. Сам игумен подавал братии пример во всем и был между ними первым по подвигам труда, молитвы и поста и через это самое воспитывал многих благочестивых иноков. Но, строгий по отношению к себе, прп. Мефодий был нетребователен и милостив к братии, снисходя к их немощам и предостерегая от ошибок в будущем.

По временам преподобный, как любитель безмолвия, удалялся за две версты от обители и здесь уединенно подвизался в молитве. Сюда же приходил к нему для духовных бесед преподобный Сергий. Потому эта местность названа была «Беседа». Преподобный Мефодий был погребен († 1392 г.) в основанной им обители. В день преставления его, как видно из составленной в честь его службы, собралось множество народа — старцев, сирот и вдов — оплакивать кончину своего питателя.

По рукописным святцам, «преподобный Мефодий, игумен Пешношской обители, ученик святого Сергия чудотворца, преставися в лето 6900 (1392), месяца июня в 14 день». Прп. Мефодия ублажали на Пешноши как святого со дня его кончины и память его праздновали в обители и в окрестных селениях июня 14-го дня. По другим источникам, преподобный Мефодий преставился месяца июня в 4-й день 1392 года, а память празднуется в один день с памятью свт. Мефодия, патриарха Константинопольского, 14/27 июня. К лику святых прп. Мефодий причислен на Московском Соборе 1549 года.

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