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[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|right|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]
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{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
New Hieromartyr Hiero[[martyr]] Father '''John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz''' (August 8, 1937 - May 19, 1985) was the first [[parish ]] [[priest ]] and one of the founders of the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/?page_id=2 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church] in Santa Cruz, California. He was a fervent preacher of the [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Faith]] and "ministered to the unemployed, homeless and drug addicts of the city"<ref name=BLACKWELL>Ken Parry, et. al. (Eds.). ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203214_ss1-14 John Karastamatis].'' '''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.''' 2001.</ref><ref group="note">"He was the kind who wanted to help everybody," Anastasia Karastamatis said. "They'd come to the door at 2 o'clock in the morning and I'd worry -- saying we didn't know what they'd been drinking, what drugs they were on. It was hard for me. But he'd say, 'They need me; that's what I'm here for.' "<br>
:* {Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.}</ref> before he was brutally [[Martyr|martyred]] by Satanists in 1985.<ref group="note">According to ''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity,'' the couple that murdered Fr. John had a history of mental illness. And in the words of District Attorney Art Danner, Anna Bowman was "clearly psychotic."</ref>
[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|left|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]He has been credited with numerous miracles of healing since his death.<ref name="BLACKWELL"/> His memory is celebrated on [[May 19]] (N.S.), 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. This day corresponds to [[May 6]] ([[Julian Calendar|O.S.]]), which is the birthday of Royal [[Passion-bearer]] Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]], and the [[feast day]] St. [[Job the Long-suffering|Job the Much-suffering]], pointing to the mystical significance of his death.
==In Greece==
Fr. John Karastamatis was born in on [[August 8]], 1937 in the Greek village of Apoikia, on the island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]]. The atmosphere of this village was permeated with the age-old Orthodox way of life, which was followed according to the Church calendar and the cycle of feast days. Living from day to day amidst the simple and natural faith of the villagers, the young John was imparted a sense of holiness, which kindled in his idealistic heart the flame of love for God and all that is His. As a boy on the island of Andros, John witnessed many miracles with which [[God]] blessed the pious villagers, and thus he was made aware of the closeness of God to the lives of those who seek Him. The heavenly [[saints]], especially the local ones, also manifested their closeness and the power of their intercessory [[prayer]] by appearing to and helping the people.
John nourished his young soul by learning about the lives of these [[saints]] and [[martyrs]], whose unquenchable desire to be faithful to [[Christ]] in the face of deprivation, torment and physical death inspired him to also be a servant of God. Although he did not attend any theological school, he wanted to put his faith into practice by someday becoming a [[priest]].
In 1957, at the age of twenty, John came to the United States. Five years later he [[Marriage|married]] a young Greek woman, Athanasia Matsellis, and soon became the father of two children, Maria and Photios. The cities of the United States were in sharp contrast to the village of his birth, but his acute awareness of the nearness of [[God]] and the other world, given to him in childhood, never left him. He now found himself in the midst of those who not only did not want to be close to God, but who actively fled from Him. Still he hoped in God, knowing that the freedom of [[Christ]] can be found even in the most stifling and evil surroundings.
With the support and encouragement of Fr. George Bogdanos, a Greek priest who recognized in him the integrity and zeal of a true pastor, Fr. John was [[ordination|ordained ]] to the [[Deacon|deaconate]] in 1971 with the blessing of Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|lakovos]], who supported him in this. Since both his love for the Church and the love of the churchgoers for him was so apparent, he was made a [[Presbyter|priest]] only a few weeks later by Bishop [[Meletios (Tripodakis) of Christianoupolis]], San Francisco (1968-79).
He first served the Greek Orthodox community in Anchorage, [[Alaska]], the land of newly-canonized [[Herman of Alaska|St. Herman]], who thus became his guardian [[angel]] for the rest of his life. He was later assigned to the St. George parish in Vancouver, Canada, and then to All Saints parish in Anaheim, Pennsylvania.
===A Pastor at the Foot of the Holy Cross===
Because the community in Santa Cruz was too small to immediately acquire its own Orthodox church from its founding in 1980, Fr. John began to serve the [[Divine Liturgy]] in the nearby town of [[w:Aptos, California|Aptos]], in the [[chapel]] of a [[w:Poor Clares|Poor Clare]] convent. The [[nuns]] would have their services very early on Sunday morning, leaving the church free for Fr. John and his parishioners to use afterwards. The parishioners were at first hesitant: they would come to Liturgy late, and would all sit at the very back of the [[chapel]], as if they were spectators and not participants. Fr. John knew that he had much work to do. He was sometimes disappointed at the lack of active interest among his flock. His was a burning faith, and lukewarmness had always been foreign to his soul. His task, he knew, was to ignite this fire within each of his parishioners, so that they themselves would struggle for the [[Paradise|kingdom of heaven]], ''the one thing needful'', and not sit in the background and expect their priest to do their work for them. He could not demand too much at once, but had to be a gentle and loving pastor, condescending to the weaknesses of his flock so as not to overwhelm them and cause them to abandon the Orthodox faith altogether. The gap between shepherd and sheep had to be bridged gradually and carefully, and Fr. John had to spark the kinder in the hearts of his flock without scorching them with the consuming fire within him.
Sometimes Fr. John would speak forceful words of rebuke to awaken his people from their spiritual sleep, but mostly he would inspire them by his quiet and unobtrusive example. They began to see how hard he struggled and were moved to help him fulfill his godly dreams. His fervency and zeal, his unequivocal belief in the other world, was something that they did not fully understand, and yet that they inwardly -- and in some cases unconsciously - longed for. Having come to love him deeply, they were grateful that God had sent a harvester to their field.
# 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.
His son, who had dined with him earlier that evening, arrived at 1:30 a.m. at the church. Outside the office he discovered the body of his murdered father, and on the walls -- the blood of a [[martyr]].
<blockquote>There, the boy was faced with a terrible sight: his father was found on the floor slaughtered and unrecognizable…he had been hit in the head with a hammer and his whole body was butchered with knifes. As the police had later discovered, because father John didn’t die right away, the criminals took the [[cross]] he was wearing around the neck and hanged him with its chain. The [[blood]] poured from his wounds and flooded the floor of the Holy [[Shrine]]. The Satanists used his blood to write their slogans and the mark [[666]] on the walls of the Church. The blessed father John suffered martyrdom in the very place where he was photographed with the cross in his hand, almost prophesizing of what would follow.<ref name=PANTAKRATOROS>[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.''' '' (''Source: Translation of [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Greek article]'')</ref></blockquote>
According to the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' article of [[May 21]], 1985:
<blockquote>The spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox community here "put up a terrific struggle" before he was bludgeoned to death in the office of his church here, the police chief said yesterday. John Karastamatis, 47, of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, was "beaten badly, severely. . . . The method of death was very traumatic," Chief Jack Bassett said. "Blood was found on the walls." ...Bassett said he believes the priest was slain between 11 p.m. Saturday and 1:40 a.m. Sunday, when his bloody body was found by his 17-year-old son, Foti.<ref name=CHRONICLE>''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.</ref></blockquote>
:* {[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.}</ref>
According to the ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' article of [[ June 12]], 2001:
<blockquote>Ron Truhitte was the Santa Cruz police detective who was on the case in 1985. Now an inspector for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Truhitte said the murder rises above most he’s handled because of its brutality and many twists and turns. ''"It was a real, real murder mystery and if you were to write a book, you could not include as many different dark alleys, leads that led nowhere and suspicions as this case had,"'' Truhitte said. ''"But all the time the ones who did it were right there in front of us."'' It took detectives seven months to arrest Bowman although he and his wife’s names were brought up after the murder.<ref name=DARREL>Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' June 12, 2001.</ref></blockquote>
Bowman was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 1988, but In 2001 he was up for parole. In response, Metropolitan [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco]] in a letter to [[clergy ]] and other churches urged support for the Karastamatis family’s efforts to "ensure that this violent killer never again walks among us."<ref name="DARREL"/> In addition, Detective Truhitte stated that he didn’t believe that Bowman should be released: ''"It has to do with the severity of the crime," Truhitte said. "They didn’t just murder this man, they butchered him."''<ref name="DARREL"/>
In 2010 Bowman was once again eligible for parole. 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>
