Georgetown University: St. John Chrysostom

Saint John Cysostom was raised by his widowed mother in Syria.  He was well educated and showed promise for a career but instead decided to serve the Lord.  He was baptized and spent three years studying the scripture before being appointed as a lector in 371.  After that, he spent four years in the countryside under the tutelage of a Syrian monk and then two years living alone in a cave memorizing Scripture.

He eventually returned to Antioch due to declining health and was ordained a deacon.  Over the next fifteen years, he preached famous homilies on Genesis, Matthew, John, Romans, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Timothy and Titus.