Presbyter
Saint John Gashkevich was born in 1837 in the Belarusian village of Sherstin. From childhood, he served at the altar of his father, a village priest, and spent much time in prayer. At the age of 18, he entered the Mogilev Theological Seminary, and after graduation, he became a law teacher at a church parish school. After marrying, he was ordained a priest in 1862 and served in his native village.
In 1876, at his own request, he was transferred to the village of Ohorodnya in the Gomel district, where he devoted himself entirely to the service of the Church and the parishioners, having no property of his own.
After the birth of his youngest son, at the age of 48, he visited the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he received a blessing for a monastic way of life. The saint did not consume meat and strictly fasted, reading the Jesus Prayer during night vigils. He took care of widows and orphans, setting an example of love for one’s neighbor.
Once, he gave a cow, which fed his family, to a poor widow. The possessed, brought to him, fell down at his sign of the cross. The saint called people to repentance, predicting the calamities that awaited the Russian land. He foretold the day of his death and peacefully departed to the Lord in the autumn of 1917.
In 1950, the communists burned the church where he served. During the destruction of the church's foundation, his relics were discovered, which were found and transferred to the church of the village of Korma on August 27 (September 9) 1997. The relics of the holy servant turned out to be incorrupt, and since then, many miraculous healings have occurred at them.
