John the Merciful

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Saint John the Merciful
Saint John the Merciful. Church of San Giovanni Elemosinario
Patriarch of Alexandria (Melkite)
Born	c. 552 Amathus, Cyprus
Died	c. 616–620 Cyprus
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church Catholic Church
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Major shrine	San Giovanni Elemosinario, Venice, Italy
Feast	12 November (Orthodox) 23 January (Roman Catholic)
Attributes	Bishop vestment Miter Crosier
Patronage	Egypt

John V Eleemon (Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Ἐλεήμων, romanized: Iōannēs ho Eleēmōn), also known as John the Almsgiver, John the Almoner, John the Compassionate, or John the Merciful, was the Chalcedonian/Melkite Patriarch of Alexandria in the early 7th century (from 606 to 616). He was born in Amathus around 560. Originally appointed by the emperor Heraclius, he later resisted attempts by the emperor to persecute the monophysites. At the end of his life he was obliged to flee back to Cyprus, where he died around 620.

He was unusual for his time in a number of ways. He was a married man with children, was elected bishop as a layman, and became a saint without being a martyr. He is one of the very few Byzantine era saints to gain a following in the West. He was one of the saints in the Golden Legend. He became famous as the original patron of the order of St. John of the Hospital, the Hospitallers, one of the great Western crusading military orders. This order still survives as the Knights of Malta. In the British Commonwealth, the "St. John's Ambulance Corps" is named after him.^[1]

He is considered a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. He is also the patron saint of Casarano, Italy and of Limassol, Cyprus.

His "life" was written by his contemporary Leontius bishop of Neapolis in Cyprus, who seems to have known him personally.