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[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|right|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
New Hieromartyr Father '''John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz''' (August 8, 1937 - May 19, 1985) was the parish priest and one of the founders of the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/?page_id=2 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church] in Santa Cruz, California, and a fervent preacher of the [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Faith]], for which he was martyred by Satanists in 1985.
His memory is celebrated on [[May 19]], on the eve of the feast of the translation of the holy relics of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, for whom Fr. John had a great reverance, because as a child he often visited the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros]], Greece.
===Founding of Prophet Elias Church, Santa Cruz===
By giving his parishioners new aspirations, Fr. John instilled in them the desire to start their own [[Parish|church]]. They collected and saved money and eventually found the perfect building for their church: a former funeral home in Santa Cruz, across from the public library and in the best part of town for [[missionary]] activity. Fr. John did much of the interior work himself, fashioning a beautiful white [[iconostasis]] and a large domed [[apse]] behind and above the [[altar]]. When completed, the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ newly-consecrated church] became a refuge from the noisy bustle of the world, an island of holiness in the middle of downtown Santa Cruz. The church was dedicated to the [[Elijah|Prophet Elias]].<ref group="note">Archimandrite [[Meletios (Webber)]] later served as full-time parish priest in this Santa Cruz parish, for nine years. Of Fr. John, Archimandrite Meletios says: "He was not my immediate predecessor; there had been three other priests in between. I knew his presbytera quite well, and his children. He was murdered on the premises of the church, in very unpleasant circumstances, some years before I arrived, but it was still a very dominant factor in the life of parish while I was there—something they couldn't forget."<br>:(Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. PRAVOSLAVIE.RU. 05/02/2008). </ref>
With their new and beautiful church, the parishioners, comprised of over 75 families, now had a sense of accomplishment. They felt that they had come a long way from the days when they had little choice but to use a chapel which was outside of town. Now they could branch out into other activities.
===Miracle of the Blossoming White Lilies===
It was through Fr. John that the Most Holy [[Mother of God]] bestowed a [[Miracle|miraculous]] blessing on the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ Prophet Elias Church]. This occurred after Fr. John brought some bulbs of the "lily of the Panagia" back from his native island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]], where he visited with his family. He went to the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St Nicholas]] on the island and asked [[Abbot ]] Dorotheos (Themelis) for few dried lilies.
The lily of the [[Panagia]] ("Most Holy") is so named because of the tradition, often depicted in [[icons]], concerning the [[Archangel Gabriel]] presenting the Mother of God with this species of lily at the time of the [[Annunciation]]. In the monastery on Andros which Fr. John visited,<ref group="note">[[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros, Greece]].</ref> stems from these lilies, being many years old, sometimes bud miraculously at the time of the [[Dormition|Feast of the Dormition]].
The stem continued to produce new stems for many months, until the winter of 1983-4. Fr. John interpreted the [[miracle]] as an image of life coming out of [[death]] through the [[Resurrection]]. This miracle strengthened the faith of many to have more reverence towards the Blessed Virgin.
Father John was a sensitive and beautiful soul. At the instruction of Elder Dorotheos(Themelis), he wrote poems and religious hymns, and was deeply touched by the miracles of the Virgin and the lives of the saints.
===Martyrdom===
# On three consecutive [[Lord's Day|Sundays]] before his martyrdom, during the [[Divine Liturgy]], the altar boy while giving him the warm water (to prepare the [[Holy Communion]]) saw a strange phenomenon - his father’ face was shining and scattered rays of light - but father John told him strictly not to reveal anything.
On the evening of May 17, 1985 Fr. John telephoned Abbot Dorotheos (Themelis) and asked him about the miracles of the myrrh-streaming icon of the Blessed Virgin (Myrrhovlytissa), because he wanted to preach a sermon on her for the following Sunday. Then on the night of Saturday, May 18, 1985, the eve of the feast of the translation of the holy relics of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, Fr. John was in the church building, preparing the [[Homily|sermon]] for the following morning. His wife was in Los Angeles at that time visiting her daughter, who had just given birth to her first child.
Shortly before [[Midnight Office|midnight]],<ref group="note">The midnight hour is the supposed time of the satanic [[w:Black Mass|Black Mass]], [[w:Witching hour|Witching hour]], and [[w:Witches'_Sabbath#Dates|Witches' Sabbath]]. Some authors have hypothosized that the Witches' Sabbath would take place during the night of the Sunday before the time the Christian mass was celebrated.</ref> one or more assailants entered the church. Evidently they had been watching Fr. John, for they came at a time when he was alone, when both his wife and 17 year-old son were gone. They attacked Fr. John in his church office, stabbing him with a knife. During the struggle Fr. John was severely beaten, and then was finally killed by a heavy blow on his head.
The criminals responsible were Edward and Anna Bowman. Edward Bowman was eligible for the death penalty, but pled guilty to avoid execution. Bowman was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 1988. However he was eligible for parole in 2010. In February 2010, the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office reported that he was denied parole, with the Parole Board ruling that he will not be eligible again until 2015.<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 8, 2010.</ref>
This brutal crime was pre-meditated. Detectives involved in this case believe these criminals were responsible for other crimes, and committed other murders. One theory is they told Father John, in counseling, of their crimes. They became nervous then planned his murder to ensure Father John remained silent. As he lay dying they rifled through Father John’s pockets, searched his office and stole items from the Church. The criminal’s son was in fear for his life as Edward Bowman, while bragging of the brutal murder, threatened to kill him as well if he said anything about the murder. Psychiatrists who examine Bowman agree, he has sociopath tendencies, is a pathological liar and to this day expresses no remorse.<ref name=Facebook>[http://www.facebookahepa20.comorg/group~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatishtm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. Facebook (group)Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243. Friday, January 08, 2010.</ref>
In the absence of a more plausible reason for the crime, it is most likely that the killing, like the church desecration a few months prior to it, was done at the hands of those who hated Fr. John for his holy work, of those who are the enemies of God and rebel against Him because they serve the first rebel, Satan. But whether Fr. John was killed for overtly satanic purposes or for other, irrational reasons, he had without doubt a [[Martyr|martyric]] death, giving his life for [[Christ]] and dying in the very church in which he had diligently served Him.
==Apparitions of Blessed Father John==
When [[Abbot ]] Dorotheos (Themelis) learned about the martyrdom of Father John, he wrote to the [[Presbytera]] asking her to send his priestly [[vestments]] from when they had celebrated together the feast of [[Dorotheos of Gaza|Saint Dorotheos]] at the Monastery in 1981. Some time passed but he received no response from father John’s family.
On the eve [[July 4]], at the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas]], a Athonite [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] was celebrated in honor of St. [[Athanasius of Athos|Athanasius of Mt.Athos]], with many [[Pilgrimage|pilgrims]] who had come from Athens. As the vigil was about to end, the monastery [[bells]] began to beat themselves as for a solemn feast. They stopped for awhile, but the bells started ringing again so harmoniously that everyone was astonished.
==Sources==
* [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz]. (''Various articles compiled; .pdf format; 24 pp.)
* [http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/the-new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. Orthodox Word. May 19, 2011.
* [http://www.prescottorthodox.org/2010/10/new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ New Martyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. St. George Greek Orthodox Church, of Prescott. October 2, 2010. (''Source: The Orthodox Word, #122 / 1985'')
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/education/ci_14308329 Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest]. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 02/01/2010 01:30:40 AM PST.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 8, 2010.
* [http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.htm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243. Friday, January 08, 2010.
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatis]. Facebook (group).
* Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. PRAVOSLAVIE.RU. 05/02/2008.
'''In Greek'''<br>
* [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ. ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη. (''Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros (Impankratoros.gr)'')
