Do Not Forget that next to the Theological Faculty in Belgrade, where I am sending you for good and soul-profiting studies, there is a 'living academy' — our Abba Metropolitan Anthony [Khrapovitsky], my previous mentor and benefactor, who is today a great teacher and hierarch of Christ's Universal Church. Drop by frequently to see him, because from him you will receive and draw a richness of knowledge and wisdom which are scarcely obtainable from any contemporary theological school." With these words Metropolitan Dionysius sent me to Yugoslavia, in January of 1932, when I was threatened with being kicked out of the Warsaw University (because of a protest provoked by an action of the ministry prohibiting students from using their native tongue at gatherings of the Theological Circle). Metropolitan Anthony received me as one dear to him. I became a regular recipient of his abundant love, kindness and attention. The Elder would be offended and reprimand me if I did not stop by to see him in the evening or during the course of the day.
It was in the Metropolitan's humble quarters that I also became acquainted with Hieromonk John (Maximovitch). I often observed the paternal kindness which the Elder-Metropolitan showed towards Father John: in the movements of his eyes, in every word directed toward Father John, there shone joy over a spiritual son, complete trust, and gratitude that this son was multiplying his God-given talents.
Several times I had occasion to be in the home of Father John's parents. I was amazed at the number of Serbian students who made a "pilgrimage" to see him. The Serbs are not generally admirers of their own monasticism, but here, as soon as Father John appeared in Belgrade, Serbian students would literally besiege him. The righteous life of the monk-ascetic, his uncommon strictness towards himself, and his love-filled heart — this attracted the attention and the hearts of the Serbian students.
The Lord allowed me to be present at Father John's Episcopal consecration and, afterwards, to meet him as a bishop in Metropolitan Anthony's quarters. "Be careful, Vladika, that your hierarchical rank does not spoil you…. Don't take a fancy to fine dishes; you know how people like to prepare delicious fare for bishops. .," the Metropolitan would say jokingly to the young ascetic Bishop, and the Elder's face would radiate with joy for the new hierarch of God.
Our people like pontifical services and attend them eagerly. But, as I observed in Belgrade, the Liturgy celebrated by Vladika John attracted an unusually large turnout. His speech was sluggish and hard to understand, but the church would be packed.
In 1935 I returned to Poland for my pastoral service. In 1936 I received a letter from Vladika John from Shanghai, and shortly thereafter some of his sermons. While in Paris in 1958,1 spoke to him personally. Many people there did not understand Vladika. His external appearance, the fact that he wore no shoes, disturbed them. P. S. Lopukhin told me that there were even complaints about Vladika sent to Metropolitan Anastassy. In one of the complaints the petitioners asked that the Chief Hierarch order Vladika John to get some shoes. Metropolitan Anastassy complied and wrote Vladika a letter. The parishioners, overjoyed, rushed to present their Archpastor with new shoes. Vladika accepted the gift, thanked them, and "used" the shoes… he carried them under his arm! but did not wear them on his feet. [The Russian verb, носить, "to wear," means also "to carry."] Again complaints to the Metropolitan, again the Metropolitan Abba wrote to Vladika John concerning obedience and received in answer: "Your instructions were carried out — you wrote that I should use shoes, but did not write that I should wear them on my feet, and so I used them, i.e., carried them. But now I shall wear them." And so Vladika began striding around Paris in shoes.
"Your Vladika John leaves a strange impression on people. Many are repelled by his external appearance, but one thing is sure — he is a man of God, an ascetic and man of prayer," D. N. Fedchenko, a parishioner of the Russian Exarchate in Paris, told me. He then proceeded to relate the following incident from Vladika's life in Paris:
There was a sick Russian woman in one of the hospitals there who was unable to move and whose condition was hopeless. The doctors had reconciled themselves to her imminent death and tried to ease her last hours of pain. In the evening hours, on the threshold — as the nurses thought — of this woman's last night, Vladika John entered the sick woman's ward. He came on his own, without being called by anyone, and stood by her bedside. Vladika prayed for a long time, blessed the unconscious woman, and left. The nurses and aides watched how the "strange Russian priest" prayed, standing by her bedside. And who would believe it? — around midnight the woman got up from her bed and demanded her clothes so she could leave the hospital! The astonished nurses called the doctor who, upon checking the woman, found her completely well. In asking her what had transpired, it became evident that "someone in black came to her and told her that she was well and could go home." The sick woman did not name the "visitor in black" who ordered her to get up and go home, but it was not difficult for the doctors to determine that it was Vladika John.
On May 16, 1963, in a discussion concerning the difficulties in San Francisco, Metropolitan Anastassy said to me, "I do not recognize Vladika John. Previously he was quiet, silent and meek, and now he is showing persistence, has livened up and is uncompromising… " What happened to the archpastor-ascetic? His whole life was a total surrender to God and the service of the Church, excluding any personal gain or, all the more, the interests of any cliques. The negative (and, within the Church, devastating) phenomenon of "cliquishness" was completely alien to Vladika John. But it existed and exists. Vladika saw that within the Church a matter of principle was being altered for the sake of cliquish and personal gains and interests, and he became vigorous, firm and unyielding. His attitude to all questions of church life was founded on the principle of the matter, and his evaluation of events and facts did not depend on the author or protagonist of the given question, occurrence or event. Archbishop John did not know how to sacrifice objectivity for the sake of personal friendship, personal preference or, all the more, for personal favors.
Vladika John was unusually strict in canonical questions and in faithfulness to Orthodox-Russian traditions and customs. At the same time, he was a stranger to church provincialism.
This was made evident when, as Archbishop of Western Europe, he reinstated the veneration of the saints of France (Gaul) who lived before the Schism.
Once I was asked by the librarian of the Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, 'Tell me, what is your attitude towards Metropolitan Anthony and Father John?" Over thirty-five years have passed since then, and the Lord has allowed me to meet with many active Church leaders and members, to hear and see a great deal within the Church confines, but I can still hear the librarian's question. On the basis of the answer, the librarian would measure the spiritual level of the respondent and determine his degree of suitability for service in the Church. This question is still relevant today. Even now it remains a true measure in determining the spiritual quality and suitability of laborers in Christ's vineyard.
Bishop Mitrofan Znosko-Borovsky