The Birthplace of Saint John Jacob the Chozebite

The Birthplace of Saint John Jacob of Neamt - Crainiceni

 

By Teodor Danalache

The birthplace of Saint John Jacob of Neamț, also known as "the Chozebite," after the place where he engaged in holy ascetic labors, is located in the Romanian village of Horodistea, Păltiniș Commune, along National Road 29A, in Botoșani County, at a distance of only 15 kilometers from Rădăuți Prut, on the road to Dorohoi. The Saint's house is today a memorial house and museum.

The young Ilie, who later became known as Father John Jacob of Neamț, also referred to as "the Chozebite," was born in the village of Crainiceni on July 23, 1913, into a family of simple and devout peasants named Ecaterina and Maxim Jacob. In 1968, the village of Crainiceni merged with the locality of Horodistea, and today Horodistea is part of the Păltiniș Commune.

Crainiceni - the Village of Saint John Jacob of Neamț

The village of Crainiceni has an antiquity of more than 500 years, being initially located on the valley of the Prut River. The name of the village derives from the "crainici" (town crier) whom the holy ruler Stephen the Great settled on high hills to signal when the Tatars were approaching.

Crainiceni was surrounded by a high fence, and entrance and exit from the village were only possible through a large gate. Due to massive landslides and the allocation of land to peasants, the village expanded on the hill, on both sides of National Road 29A, which connects the towns of Dorohoi and Rădăuți Prut.

Lacking a place of worship, the village was endowed with a wooden church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Due to landslides, the church was relocated to the hill on the right side of the national road. The church, built of stone, is massive, featuring numerous buttresses on the exterior and a dome above the nave. It is divided into the narthex, nave, and altar. The altar, to the north and south, has the Proscomidia and Diaconicon carved into the wall. The iconostasis of the church is made of fir wood with oil painting.

The church in its current form was consecrated in 1931, under the patronage of the Holy Trinity, through the efforts of the parish priest Aristotel Popescu, with the help of the local community. The church is devoid of wall painting, except for the vault. The bell tower of the church is located outside, by the gate, having been rebuilt through the efforts of the locals in 1984.

 

John Jacob of Neamt - the Saint from Crainiceni

At only six months after his birth, the infant Ilie will become motherless, and in the autumn of 1916, he will also be left fatherless, as his father died at the front during World War I. Having been orphaned at such a young age, young Ilie was raised by his grandmother, Maria, who instilled in him a practice of prayer and a life of purity. In 1924, when the child turned 11, his grandmother passed away.

In the year 1920, the child began primary school in the village of Crainiceni. After completing general school in Lipcani, in Hotin, and high school in Cozmeni, in Cernăuți, in the year 1932, the young Ilie directed his steps towards monastic life in the region of Neamț.

On August 15, 1933, at only 20 years old, the young Ilie joined the monastic community at Neamt Monastery, where he served in the pharmacy and at the library. The abbot sent the young man to Bucharest to study at the Faculty of Medicine. After finishing his studies, the Saint spent a period at Turnu Monastery, in the Diocese of Arges, after which he returned again to Neamt Monastery, to be tonsured into monasticism in 1936, after completing his military service. 

In the autumn of 1936, the young ascetic John Jacob departed for the Holy Land, accompanied by two other monks, Claudie Derebreanu and Damaschin Ignat, the cost of the journey being covered by the Venerable John, from the inheritance left by his parents.

The Venerable John withdrew into a cave in the wilderness of the Jordan, where led an ascetic life for two years. After this period of time, the Saint entered the Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified, near Bethlehem. The Saint labored there for eight years, aiding the monastery as a an ecclesiarch, librarian, assistant to the treasurer, and nurse.

Between the years 1939 and 1940, Venerable John will spend time in the wilderness of Qumran, in a cave near the Dead Sea, together with another Romanian monk. Due to the war, between 1940 and 1941, the Venerable John suffered in a camp on the Mount of Olives, after which he will return to the Monastery of Saint Savvas.

In the year 1952, together with his disciple, Ioanichie, he retreated to the wilderness of Chozeba, to the Monastery of Saint George the Chozebite, and the following year, they resided in a cave nearby, called the Cell of Saint Anna, where they remained until the end of the life of the Venerable John. Living this way, on August 5, 1960, at the age of 47, the Venerable John entrusted his soul into the hands of the Lord, being buried in the cave where he lived in the last part of his life.

For a period of 20 years, the body of the Saint remained in a cave, unknown to anyone. Then, through the mercy of God, miracles began to flow around the Saint. At the request of the monastic community, addressed to Patriarch Benedict of Jerusalem, the relics of Saint John Jacob were placed in the central church, alongside those of Saint George the Chozebite. The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church canonized him among the saints in 1992, under the name of Saint John the New of Neamț "the Chozebite", with his feast day commemorating the date of his passing to eternal life, namely August 5.

The Procession with the Relics of Saint John Jacob of Neamț - the Village of Crainiceni

In the year 2010, a pilgrimage (procession) took place in the village of Crainiceni with the relics of Saint John Jacob of Neamț, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Saint's passing to eternal life and the 97th anniversary of his birth. The relics of the Saint departed from the Church of Saint John Jacob of Neamț, located within the grounds of the Theological Orthodox High School "Veniamin Costachi" at Neamț Monastery, towards his native village, Crainiceni.

The honorable relics were brought by a gathering of priests, accompanied by a group of believers, and were welcomed by the priests from the Darabani Deanery, as well as those from the Holy Trinity Parish in Crainiceni. In the church courtyard, the Akathist of Saint John Jacob of Neamț was recited, followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, at the end of which a sermon was pronounced.

The relics and the icon of the Saint set out in a procession to the village cemetery by the banks of the Prut River. Here, a memorial service was held for the relatives of Saint John Jacob. Following both the Divine Liturgy and the Memorial Service, several poems by the Saint were read. From the cemetery, the procession continued towards the home of the Venerable Saint John, and then towards the Holy Trinity Church in Crainiceni, where the pilgrims participated in a fraternal agape.

A relic of Saint John Jacob of Neamt (specifically, the little finger) was given to His Beatitude Daniel by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem on October 14, 1992, at the time of the solemn proclamation of the Saint's canonization in Romania. The complete relics of Saint John Jacob, with the exception of the little finger, are located at the Monastery of Saint George in Chozeba.

Source: Written in 2010. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

At the Birthplace of Saint John Jacob of Chozeba 

 

By Raluca Brodner 
October 18, 2017

"I know you are coming to me. Please bring me something from home," spoke Saint John Jacob of Neamț - Chozeba in a dream to a woman from Fălticeni, before she reached his house in the locality of Crăiniceni, Horodiștea commune, Botoșani County. This incident was recounted by Gabriela Doina Balahura, the guide of the memorial house that also serves as a museum. Mrs. Gabriela deemed it appropriate at that time to offer the faithful woman from Moldavia a few apples from her garden, which the woman took as an offering to Saint John Jacob in the wilderness of Chozeba, Israel, where his holy relics are located. This is but one of the miraculous events that have taken place in the storybook cottage in the northern part of the country, which is sought after by many pilgrims.

Like any home, the birthplace of the Saint from Crăiniceni has its own specificity, built upon the existence of three intertwined lives within a model Christian-Orthodox family, harmonious and fulfilled. The child Ilie, who would later become Father John, was born on July 23, 1913, into the family of peasant farmers from Botoșani, Ecaterina and Maxim Jacob, who were pious and hardworking individuals. At just six months old, the infant became motherless. In the autumn of 1916, his father also died on the frontlines of World War I. The child was taken in by his grandmother Maria, who raised him in a love for God and the Church. The gratitude that Father John Jacob held for the elderly Maria is reflected in the poems he wrote in her honor, where he refers to her as a "holy old woman," "with the features of the Saints."

In the year 1924, when the boy turns 11, his grandmother passes away, which leads Ilie to be placed under the guardianship of his uncle Alecu, the eldest brother of his father. After attending the first years of school in his hometown, he continues with his general education in Lipcani – Hotin and subsequently graduates from high school in Cozmeni – Cernăuți. From this point onward, he spends an increasing amount of time away from his birthplace and parental home, especially since the year 1932 is decisive for his entry into monastic life. Thus, until the year 1936, he serves at Neamț Monastery, followed by another 10 years at the Saint Savvas Monastery near Bethlehem.

On May 13, 1947, he is ordained as a deacon in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He serves in the Holy Land for 24 years, both in the Jordan Valley and in the wilderness of Chozeba. In the last 7 years of his life, he prays unceasingly and vigilantly in a cold cave. At the age of only 47, in 1960, Father John Jacob passes away to the realm of the righteous. 

After 20 years, on August 8, 1980, his body is found intact. The Romanian Orthodox Church canonized him on June 20, 1992, with his feast day celebrated on August 5. Additionally, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem proclaimed the canonization of Saint John Jacob of Neamț the Chozebite on January 31, 2016.

Beyond Time

The ancient village of Crăiniceni, which has reflected for centuries in the waters of the Prut, has always held a special place in the heart of the Venerable John. He has carried it in his prayers, with his entire being, and now he assists people even more, from above, in the heavens filled with saints. Many of the believers who reach the traditional Moldovan-style cottage speak of the swift responses they receive to their prayers addressed to Saint John.

“After Saint John Jacob's entry into monasticism, the house came into the possession of his uncle Alecu, the older brother of his father, Maxim. It functioned as a school for several years. In 2003, the house that can be seen today was built on the old site of the residence where Saint John spent his childhood. All of this was accomplished with donations from the faithful of the local community and the country, who have reverence for the Saint. A large part of the villagers contributed to the construction of this representative settlement for us, by accommodating workers, preparing meals, and providing financial support,” begins Gabriela Doina Balahura, the guide of the Memorial House of Saint John Jacob the Chozebite. The woman has felt a strong connection to the place ever since the new cottage was constructed, at which time she received the blessing of the Bishop to take care of it. This great joy was destined to ease her heart, darkened by the cruel pain caused by the loss of her husband and son in 2015 in a traffic accident from which she escaped with her life.

"Are you asking me about the help of Saint John in my life? He saved me from death. How else can it be explained that, having the same diagnosis as my husband and son, after I spent four days in a coma, and my relatives (at the recommendation of the doctors) were expecting to lay me in a coffin next to them, but my son's friend and I were spared? I was severely affected and I still bear the marks of the accident, yet I am alive. I cry, I vent, I pray, I fall, I rise, and life goes on, even though nothing brings me peace anymore. I find comfort in the people who come to our Saint's little house; I see how strong they are in faith and the miracles they speak of give me courage. Many visitors come to us, especially during the summer," recounts Mrs. Gabriela.

Among the objects that adorn the interior space, there stands out an icon gifted by Saint John Jacob of Neamț to his cousin, Aglăița, in November 1935, and fragments of the Saint's prayer rope, enclosed in a reliquary, presented by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel during his tenure as Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina, on September 6, 2003. Tablecloths, towels, sheets, carpets, woven at the loom, alongside a manually crafted wooden sewing machine, pots made from cannon debris, small carpets, threads, a spool of wool with a distaff, and a dowry chest, all evoke the fragrance of time immemorial.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cemetery and graves of the parents and grandmother of St. John Jacob.

 

 

Grave of the mother of St. John Jacob

Grave of the grandmother of St. John Jacob

O, MY DEAR HOLY GRANDMOTHER, I OWE EVERYTHING TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT ME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER. REMEMBER THE HOLY INHABITANTS OF THE HOLY PUTNA MONASTERY, TOGETHER WITH YOUR SERVANTS, STEFAN AND CORNELIA ANDRUŞCĂ.

 

MY GRANDMOTHER, MAY GOD FORGIVE HER, SOWED THE SECRETS OF FAITH IN MY SOUL FROM AN EARLY AGE, AND THEIR FRUIT KEEP ME ALIVE.