On August 12, the Church celebrates the memory of the holy martyr John the Soldier, also known as the martyr John of Constantinople. He is to be distinguished from two other holy martyrs whose names are very similar and who are highly venerated in popular piety. These two other Saint Johns suffered for the faith under Ottoman rule, much later than the earlier martyrs. Therefore, both bear the name John the New. The suffix "new" to the saints' names means "later" or "younger."
St. John the Soldier, on the other hand, lived in the 4th century. He served in the Roman army and lived until the short-lived reign of Julian the Apostate from 361 to 363. John was ordered to participate in a punitive campaign against Christians. However, he refused, which led to his imprisonment in Constantinople. After Julian's death during the Persian campaign, John regained his freedom and reached a ripe old age.
He is listed as a "martyr" in the calendar, but he was not killed for his faith. Such cases of canonization are rare. Rather, John was a confessor of the faith. Apparently, the Church called him so in the sense of "martyrdom in full expression of will." The logic of such a title is as follows: "If the persecution had continued, he would undoubtedly have given his life for the faith. After all, his readiness to give his life in the name of Christ was expressed in everything."
The Life of Saint John reports that shortly after his death, he was forgotten. However, he appeared supernaturally to a pious woman and made his presence known. His relics were found and preserved in one of the churches dedicated to John the Evangelist in Constantinople. In popular piety, John the Soldier is venerated as an aid in the search for lost and forgotten objects. Just as he himself was forgotten by people, but returned by the will of God, so his heavenly intercession helps to find what was lost.
Lately, we've seen a lot of ads about the loss of pets, cats, and dogs. Their photos, accompanied by their names, are very sad to see. The loss of those who simply cannot help themselves or find themselves reminds us of hell. "Hell is other people," said Jean-Paul Sartre about human relationships. Hell is also when no one is around us. It is important to cultivate our souls in piety by spontaneously invoking St. John the Sol, Martyr of Constantinople, whenever we hear or see news of someone's loss. Saint John the Soldier, pray to God for us that he may help us not to forget and not to lose ourselves, to find the grace of return in small and great things.
While still a soldier, John secretly protected weak Christians and saved them from persecution. He literally freed some from prison and warned others of the severe punishments or trials that awaited them. This very anonymous virtue reminds us of our postmodern era, where it is crucial to perform good deeds without using virtue to gain fame or promote one's institution. John, a forgotten saint, reminded us of his existence not only in a vision shortly after his death, but also very recently. In 1931, archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Apamea, on the Orontes River in northern Syria, unearthed a tombstone bearing an inscription testifying to the veneration of Saint John the Soldier, not only in the Byzantine capital, but well beyond its borders.