One day grief came to Joanna's house. Her son fell ill with a fever. When everyone was already preparing for the boy’s death, his father ran to the passing Preacher, since all means had already been tried. But the Preacher refused, although Khuza did not understand why he was refusing, because it was very honorable.
But Jesus will not go to where the Forerunner was executed. But Khuza did not know that this was his close relative and friend.
Khuza asked the Preacher to help, but Save himself was in no hurry to go, but seemed to reproach the petitioner. But even personal revenge and malice could not force Jesus Christ not to help this man, because he has no vindictiveness. And, Save yourself heals the courtier’s son.
Saint Joan - a little-known myrrh-bearer
When Khuza was returning home, he was met by his servants and told that his son was completely healthy. Only after this did Joanna and Khuza understand who they had turned to and who helped them.
Saint Joan is a little-known myrrh-bearer who is mentioned much less frequently in Orthodoxy than Mary Magdalene.
The Evangelist Luke tells about Saint John (Luke 8:3; 24:10). The other evangelists do not mention this woman in their writings.
The story of Joanna says that she married Chuzu, a courtier of King Herod
The future myrrh-bearer had a high social status. She did not communicate with the poor and homeless, but was a court woman. The story of Joanna is that she married Chuzu, a courtier of King Herod. She had everything - food, good clothes, a son...
But one day grief came to her house. Her son fell ill with a fever. When everyone was already preparing for the boy’s death, his father ran to the passing Preacher, since all means had already been tried. But the Preacher refused, although Khuza did not understand why he was refusing, because it was very honorable. But Jesus will not go to where the Forerunner was executed. But Khuza did not know that this was his close relative and friend.
Khuza met the Lord himself, not knowing at all who He really was.
“Come before my son dies!” - Khuza shouted. But Save yourself is in no hurry to go, but seems to reproach Khuza. But even personal revenge and malice could not force Jesus Christ to help this man, because he has no vindictiveness. And Save yourself heals the courtier’s son.
When Khuza was returning home, he was met by his servants and told that his son was completely healthy. Only after this did Joanna and Khuza understand who they had turned to and who helped them.
Life of Saint Joan the Myrrh-Bearer
Joanna was no ordinary Jew. Her husband Khuza served in the court of King Herod. The woman herself is called the confidant of the tetrarch’s wife, Herodias. The latter became famous in Galilee for her debauchery and greed. This way of life was denounced by the Baptist John the Baptist. Herodias hated the preacher and persuaded her husband to execute the objectionable prophet. Joanna considered the Baptist a holy man and sympathized with his fate.
When the Forerunner was executed, Herodias, out of the malice of her heart, did not give the head of the unfortunate man to his relatives. Then Joanna, risking her life, stole the remains from the queen’s chambers and secretly buried them on the Mount of Olives. Years later, the shrine was discovered and a temple was built at the burial site.
The woman continued to serve at court, although she was suspected of her crime. The quiet time did not last long. Her beloved son became seriously ill. She was completely desperate, but at that time Jesus Christ was nearby. The boy's father, Chuza, begged the Nazarene to heal the child. The Savior refused to enter the house of the man involved in the death of his relative, the Forerunner of the Baptist. But, seeing the suffering of the parent, he softened and cured the boy from a distance.
Rumors about this incident reached the royal court, and the attitude towards the family changed. Joanna decided to take all the blame on herself and left her husband’s house. My heart ached and suffered. But soon the woman accidentally met Jesus Christ. She became a faithful follower of the Lord.
She accompanied John Christ everywhere, joining the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus was crucified and then buried, a Jewish woman sold her jewelry to buy ointment to anoint the body in the tomb. She was not afraid of her future life, she was not afraid to spend her last money for the sake of the Lord.
On the third day after the execution, they came with the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene to the tomb of Christ. But instead of a body, they found an angel sitting on a stone at the grave. He told them the good news about the resurrection of the Lord. The women hurried to the city, to the Savior’s disciples, to tell about what had happened. Thus, Joanna's service was rewarded with the greatest miracle.
King Herod learned that the Savior helped Joanna’s family
King Herod himself soon learned about this. They also remembered that Joanna often communicated with the Baptist, and even possibly secretly buried his head, which was not given to the disciples.
Then a terrible threat loomed over Khuza's house. Herod was very angry. What happened next? Khuza, frightened, decided to quickly divorce his wife, or simply kick her out of the house.
Back then, any man could easily divorce his wife. And the reason could be even the simplest - everyday. And a woman who had a noble status could at any moment become a nobody and end up on the street.
Herod, who was very angry, learned that the Savior helped his son Chuza.
Perhaps she could return to her parents, if she had them alive. This can only be assumed. It is not known how Joanna ended up among simple and poor people. She was among those people who followed Christ.
And righteous Joanna came to him, since He was all she had left. She was grateful to him for her son, and if she was kicked out of the house, then who should she go to? She listened to Him, and something different was born in her soul. She thought that God was angry with her, and she would no longer be in the Kingdom of God.
Saint Joan found herself in a completely alien environment - with the beggars and the poor
Joanna found herself in a completely alien environment, but no one accepted her with malice or malice. Joanna sold everything she had left and fed the poor with simple cakes and fish who followed Christ.
Joanna
from Hebrew “given by God”
Then she mixed with the crowd. It was then that the Evangelist Luke noticed her, who felt so sorry for women for their difficult lot. And also because I saw how they rejoiced that Jesus brought them joy.
The Lord knew the depth of sorrow of everyone who came to him. God took pity on them, since He “cannot bear to see a person in pain.” Joanna cried because her son was healed.
Meaning of a girl's name
What does the name John mean? In numerology, the meaning of the name John is determined by the number 4. It usually indicates a person who is capable of achieving success in technical fields. It is also a number that means stability, reliability, caution, and conscientiousness. Joanna is very useful in extreme situations; she quickly reacts to all changes and adapts to new circumstances. She is characterized by such qualities as modesty and lack of ambition. Although, since the name of Joanna is ruled by Jupiter, she is distinguished by a very strong will and strong character.
In all her affairs, Ioanna always strives to figure things out on her own and does not ask anyone for help. With some effort, she is able to develop a large number of skills, many of which will be useful professionally. Joanna inspires trust in people and knows how to listen to them. The meaning of the name knows how to cover its tracks well and reliably and feels better by maintaining a distance from everyone, hiding its feelings and goals. You should not force your communication on her.
John's name day - celebrated on June 27 and April 17
John's name day is celebrated on June 27 and April 17. From the name of John there are also names - Joanna, Zhanna, Ivanna, Yana.
Joanna is a rather rare name. Currently, the child is not called by this ancient Slavic name, but what is closer to it is Ivanna, Yana. Ivanna can be a good choice for a girl, since this name has worthy patrons among the saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Every girl named Ioanna-Ivanna should have an icon of her patroness at home. On Angel's Day you need to go to the temple and order a prayer service to your saint
The name John itself comes from the Hebrew language, and means “given by God.” In Russia, the name for boys has become more popular - John. Although even in pre-revolutionary times, girls were often called the female version of the name - Ivanna.
Angel Day is celebrated twice a year - on June 27, and on April 17. Every girl with the name Ioanna-Ivanna should have an icon of her patroness at home. On the day of the Angel you need to go to the temple and order a prayer service for your saint.
Prejudices and prejudices
The Orthodox world talks about some prejudices associated with Joanna the Righteous, or more precisely with her name. Many believe that girls have problems in life precisely because of it, since it is believed that this name is purely masculine. Some Christians are deeply convinced that the name John is not Orthodox at all. Many simply ask in disbelief when they find out that this name belongs to the Myrrh-Bearer.
From this ancient Hebrew name come the famous Slavic names Yana, Janechka, Yanka. Unfortunately, many Jans have to choose a different name at baptism, since almost no one associates this name with the name John, from which it comes.
There is a rather rare icon called “Myrrh-Bearers”
There is a rather rare icon called “Myrrh-Bearers”. It depicts three women, one of whom was Joanna. These women were the first to know about the Ascension of the Lord. Along with other women, she approached the Holy Sepulcher to anoint His body with oil, but the voice of the Angel of God informed them that the Savior had risen.
This is exactly what the Gospel according to the Evangelist Luke says. You can see what this icon looks like below.
Myrrh-Bearing Women at the Holy Sepulcher. From the festive ceremony. Vologda. St. Petersburg, State Russian Museum. End of the 15th - beginning of the 16th centuries.
There is also a fairly common type of icon - the Myrrh-Bearing Joanna. On the icon she is depicted facing the righteous. The saint is dressed in bright red clothes. In her left hand she holds a vessel with holy myrrh, and in her right hand she points to it, as if calling to believe in the power of God until the very end.
The face of Saint Joan is soft and sincere, as if she feels all the secrets of every soul, and calls for confession before oneself and before the Lord.
St. John the Myrrh-Bearer, hand-painted icon in a pictorial style
Veneration in Orthodoxy
John's life is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. Therefore, the memory of the Myrrh-Bearer is honored not only by the Orthodox, but also by representatives of other faiths - Catholics, Protestants. Difference in dates.
In the Eastern Christian Church and in Russia, June 27 is considered the solemn date. Another whole week is dedicated to the service of the myrrh-bearing women - the third week after the bright holiday of Easter. During these periods, solemn troparia are sung in honor of the righteous, they are remembered, and they are prayed to. They ask for help and thank you.
Saint Joan helps in getting rid of evil and evil spirits
How does the holy righteous Joan the Myrrh-Bearer help? The icon of St. Joan has quite a lot of powerful healing. There are known cases when the saint healed people from deadly illnesses, and even raised cripples to their feet. The saint helps:
- in deliverance from evil and evil spirits;
- from negative influences;
- from black magic love spells;
- in guidance on the true path;
- in resisting demons and evil spirits.
You can always turn to St. Joan in your simple words. If your requests are sincere and pure, then you will always receive what you ask for.
The Story of John the Baptist
The icon of this saint should be viewed precisely through the prism of his life, which was imbued with faith and filled with various miracles that the Lord gave. The story of Saint John begins before his birth, when the appearance of the Forerunner is predicted by Saint Malachi. This fact itself is quite surprising.
There is also a separate icon of the Conception of John the Baptist, which is suitable for veneration and prayer. Including those who want to have a child or get help in childbirth turn to her. After all, John was born to elderly and childless parents.
A prayer was written to Righteous Joanna, which can be read in front of the icon at home
A prayer was written to Saint Righteous Joanna, which can be read in front of the icon at home.
Prayer before the icon of St. Joan the Myrrh-Bearer:
Holy saint of God, Joanna the Myrrh-Bearer! Pray to the Lord God for me, the sinful servant (name). Helper, heal my sinful soul, direct my thoughts to the right and true path, and drive away from me unclean thoughts and tempting demons. Do not leave me in sin and do not allow the wicked to do their evil, directed at me and my family. Amen.
Unknown saint
Only Luke mentions Saint John the Myrrh-Bearer. For some unknown reason, the evangelists no longer mention John. The Myrrh-Bearer has a wonderful name, which means “The Grace of God” or “God has shed mercy.” This selfless woman is not too glorified, but she is not reproached either, like, for example, the mother of the Zebedees, who only wanted her sons to always be near Jesus Christ as he performed the Way of the Cross.
In 1923, Bernard Shaw wrote a play called Saint Joan.
It is also worth mentioning that in 1923, Bernard Shaw wrote one of the most famous plays called “Saint Joan”. The idea for this play was born to the author during his trip to France in 1913.
Then the idea was shelved for some time. Then he began to think about writing and staging a new play, but realized in time that the parliamentary censorship commission would not allow such a production.
Here's what the author himself said about the play:
Bernard Shaw, playwright, novelist
“Others made an adventure novel out of Zhanna. I told without embellishment how the case happened... The court scene was made according to documents from the original court. Everything here belongs to the real Zhanna - both words and actions.”
Then in 1920, Pope Benedict XV signed the decision to canonize Joan of Arc as a Catholic saint. This is what prompted Shaw to begin writing a play about Jeanne.
His main work on the text took place in 1923, and as he himself assured, the play was written by Zhanna herself, and he only processed it for the stage.
The first performance of the play took place on December 28, 1923 in the American Theater. Jeanne was played by Sybil Thorndike, for whom the author wrote this role.
Scene from the play "Saint Joan" directed by Bernardo Shaw
This woman was considered the best performer. Soon the production of the play began to cover all European countries. The German translator wrote in his life chronicle about how the premiere of the play “Saint Joan” took place:
“...the greatest theatrical success he had ever seen.”
Celebrities named Ioanna
- Joanna the Myrrh-Bearer is one of the disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Joan of Chantal is a saint widely known in Catholicism.
- Gianna Beretta Molla is the first married woman of modern times canonized in Catholicism.
- Pope Joanna - according to legend, this is a woman who occupied the papal throne and bore the male name John VIII.
- Joanna of England is a Sicilian queen and countess of Toulouse.
- Joanna (Jeanne) of Navarre - Queen of France and wife of Philip IV the Fair.
- Joanna (Jeanne) of France - queen of France, Catholic saint, wife of Louis XII.
- Joanna (Joanna) Beaufort - Queen of Scots.
- Joanna (Giovanna) – Neopolitan queen.
- Joanna (Juana) the Mad – Queen of Castile, daughter of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon.
- Joanna (Jeanne) of France - Queen of France, Catholic saint, wife of Louis XII.
- Joanna Antida Toure is a nun, founder of the female monastic congregation “Sisters of Divine Mercy” (SDC), saint of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Joanna Courtmans-Berchmans is a Flemish writer who was awarded the Quinquennial Prize for literature in 1865.
- Joanna Pakula is an actress of Polish origin, whose career development took place in the USA.
- Ivanna (Yvonne) Anders is a performer working as Zhanna Aguzarova, a former vocalist of the Bravo group, a solo singer, known for her shocking style and ringing voice.
- Joanna Khmelevskaya is a writer of Polish origin, author of ironic detective stories, and the founder of this genre in Russia.
- Joanna Kinkel - German revolutionary, composer, writer, music teacher, conductor.
- Joanna Sulej is a figure skater of Polish origin, two-time Polish champion.
- Giovanna Anton is a Brazilian fashion model, actress, producer, and TV presenter.
- Giovanna I (John I) – Queen of Naples.
May 21, 2021 at 06:05 pm © Medvedev Yu. M.
