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He and his family fled their country as the Bolshevik revolutionaries descended on the country, emigrating to Yugoslavia. There, he enrolled in the Department of Theology of the University of Belgrade. He was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] in 1926 by [[Metropolitan]] [[Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kiev|Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kharkov]] (later the first [[primate]] of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia). Metr. Anthony later in 1926 [[ordination|ordained]] him hierodeacon. Bishop Gabriel of Chelyabinsk ordained him [[hieromonk]] on [[November 21]], 1926. Subsequent to his ordination he began an active life of teaching in a Serbian high school and serving, at the request of local Greeks and Macedonians, in the Greek language. With the growth of his popularity, the [[bishop]]s of the Russian Church Aboard resolved to elevate him to the [[episcopate]].
Hieromonk John was [[Consecration of a bishop|consecrate]]d [[bishop]] on [[May 28]], 1934, with Metr. Anthony serving as principal consecrator, after which he was assigned to the Diocese of Shanghai. Twelve years later he was named Archbishop of China. Upon his arrival in Shanghai, Bp. John began working to restore unity among the various Orthodox nationalities. In time, he worked to build a large [[cathedral]] [[church]] that was dedicated to ''Surety of Sinners [[Icon]] to the [[Mother of God]]'', with a bell tower and large [[parish]] house. Additionally, he inspired many activities: building of churches, hospitals, and orphanages among the Orthodox and Russians of Shanghai. He was intensely active, constantly praying and serving the daily cycle of services, while also visiting the sick with the [[Holy Gifts]]. He often would walk barefooted even in the coldest days. Yet to avoid the appearance of secular glory, he would pretend to act the fool. He gave generously to the needy and [[served the poor]] without a thought for his own needs.
With the end of World War II and the coming to power of the Communists in China, Bp. John led the exodus of his community from Shanghai in 1949. Initially, he helped some 5,000 refugees to a camp on the island of Tubabao in the Philippines, while he travelled successfully to Washington, D.C., to lobby to amending the law to allow these refugees to enter the United States. It was while on this trip that Bp. John took time to establish a [[parish]] in Washington dedicated to St. [[Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Washington, D.C.)|John the Forerunner]].
*''Blessed John the Wonderworker: A Preliminary Account of the Life and Miracles of Archbishop John Maximovitch'' by Fr. Seraphim Rose. St. Herman Brotherhood, 1987. (ISBN 9780938635017)
===Children's Stories===
*''The Story of Holy Hierarch John Maximovitch the New Wonderworker'' by Catalin Grigore. Iona Publishing House, 2012. (ISBN 9786069310137)
*''Saint John and Goolya'' by Tamara N Zaharek. Zaharek, 2001. (ASIN B00JHBXU96)
*''The Life of Saint John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco - For Young People'' by Maria Naumenko. Holy Trinity Monastery, 2003. (ISBN 9780884651376)
==See also==
* [[Philanthropy]]
* [[Almsgiving]]
==External links==
