Commemorated on November 4
Born in Bithniya in the year 740 AD, Saint Ioannikos was brought up in a family of great poverty. He lived in the village of Marikato near Constantinople. His father was named Miritrikis and his mother Anastasia. Together they raised him in the faith as they were both devout Christians. Due to the lack of money within his household, he was unable to be educated and instead had to work from a very early age. Ioannikos was tall and strong, so he took care of the families cows, which were the only things that made any income for the household. He devoted himself to prayer and filled his spirit richly with Christ. Putting all his faith to God, he would cross the cattle before leaving to a peaceful place to fully devote himself to his prayer. The cows always remained well, never harmed by any wild animals or stolen by wandering crooks.
Emperor Leo IV then set a decree where all young men were collected for military services, thus drafting Ioannikios into the royal army. Due to his stature, bravery and fearlessness in battle, as well as his good disposition among fellow soldiers, he was awarded by the emperor and made an impression on him. Although Ioannikos excelled, he did not favor this way of life. His soul longed for prayer and stillness.
During this time he suffered several heavy temptations from the devil. His mind became confused, and Ioannikos became an iconoclast and fought against the veneration of icons.
Similar to his behavior in the army, he again excelled, but this time with the monastic life. He was obedient, he learned all 30 of David’s psalms, and he was taught how to both read and write.
After six years of military duties, Ioannikos freed himself of the rigid and heavy lifestyle. Reversing the routine of his days completely, he had great desire to flee to the wilderness to find solitude. He prayed to God asking for a way out of the military because he wanted to focus entirely on his soul. He then remembered the Elder he met on Mount Olympus. Leaving the army, he traveled to the mountain. However, upon the advice of the spiritual elder, he went to the Avgaron Monastery to grow and develop his righteous desires under the proper guidance. His was guided by his Geronda Gregorios who encouraged Ioannikios to stay at the monastery and partake of confession to grow his spiritual wisdom.
It was after the two years he spent at the monastery that his initial desire was fulfilled. Geronda Gregorios gave Ioannikos the blessing to go in solitude. Initially, Ioannikios fasted for seven days in deep prayer asking God where he was to go. Then he felt the calling from the Lord to descend deep into the forest. After a few days, two ascetics came upon him. Gifted with holy foresight, they told him that he would remain in the wilderness for 50 years and fight many temptations. Through God’s grace, he would overcome them.
Iaonnikios remained in solitude. He did not build any shelter, but live under the open sky. Spending all his hours in ceaseless prayer, even developing a prayer we use to this day “The Father is my hope, the Son is my refuge, the Holy Spirit is my protection.” Alongside this he saturated his prayers with psalms. A farmer would bring to him water and some food, but he lived very minimally.
Over the course of time in the wilderness, he was met with some of those men who served by him in the military. Others also came to him as they sought his spiritual guidance. After these exchanges, he realized he wanted to be far away from all people, and he went to Mount Kountourea where he was truly isolated. Deep in the forest, he dug a small but deep hole and placed a piece of wood atop of it. Every week a fisherman would come and bring his bread and water. He stayed under the wood in the small hole for three years in ceaseless prayer.
After some time, many had discovered his location. He again left and began traveling once more. As he walked through the trees two nuns came upon him. One a mother, and the other her daughter. The mother explained that her daughter suffered with the temptation of lust and even though she was tonsured as a nun, she still had deep desire to go sleep with men. Ioannikos told her to place her arms on his shoulders and pray to God to release this temptation from her spirit.
Immediately it was released from her and transported into Ioannikios. He then struggled with a very deep temptation to go with women, after taking the daughter’s lustful passion upon himself. He fasted heavily and prayed ceaselessly crying out to God, “I would rather die for you Lord, than to sleep with a woman!” After several months of heavy fasting and prayer God released this temptation from his spirit.
Ioannokios was very humble, and did not feel worthy of any recognition or praise. However, after twelve years in the wilderness, he heard a voice from above, “You must be tonsured as a monk!”
He then went to a small skete with a few monks and there he was tonsured as a monastic. After he went to Cretema where he sat in a steel cage. It was roughly 4 feet across and he stayed there in devout prayer for three years.
He then traveled back to his first monastery Avgaron Monastery with one monk who became his companion, Pahomios. Whenever he arrived, the Geronda had built several small rooms near the monastery, roughly 1 -2 miles away. They were simple cells intended for solitude and prayer.
With Pahomios, Ioannikios went to the cells with the intent to have a life of stillness and fasting. There was another monk in the cells, Gourias, who others thought was a saint. However, he really had a deep darkness within him. Gourias was envious of Ioannikios’ deep devotion and strict fasting so he attempted to poison the monastic as he wanted all the glory for his “good works.”
Gourias one day, with false words, went to Ioannikios cell and asked for his guidance. Iaonnikios allowed Gourias to stay with him for several days. After getting acquainted, Gourias poured poison into his water. Ioannikios began to feel a strong pain in his stomach, but God sent Saint Efstathios from Heaven to heal his pains.
To honor Efstathios for saving his life, Ioannikios built a small church in his name.
Ioannikios then left and went to the mountain Trihalikos where he became homeless. While it was not Ioannikos aim, he worked toward a high level of spirituality and he was given with the ability to foresee what was to come. So holy was his prayer, that his disciples saw him float. He was able to make himself unseen to others, and could do the same to someone if it was beneficial to their soul.
For example, there was a case where Christians were imprisonment unrightfully. He led them to their escape without the notice of the guards.
After others had discovered him, he again traveled to another mountain Antidio where he fasted and prayed ceaselessly. Some came to him with fear for the Iconoclasm as it was growing within the faith. He told the people not to fear, as the next Patriarch Methodius would stop this heresy and make the veneration of icons legal again.
Of all his days in the wilderness, no animal was the cause of his harm. He had a strong tie with nature, and was able to walk through a flooding river. On an island that was invaded with snakes, he was able to lead the snakes away and the people were free to walk among the land again. Even those who were spiteful and desired his death could not kill him with poison nor fire. One nun was tempted to leave the monastic life and marry, and through Ioannikos prayer’s she repented of this passion and remained steadfast in her calling.
There was another envious monk who wanted to bring death to Ioannikios. He lit the mountain on fire where Ioannikios was in solitude. However, due to his gift of foresight, Ioannikios knew of this ploy and escaped the burning flames.
During the last years of his life, he left the wild and traveled to Chaldion. There he met his good companion the great ascetic Saint George. Ioannikos spent three years learning from his wisdom and guidance. After their time spent together, he settled in the Antidiev monastery. Filling his days with prayer and maintaining his strict ascetic lifestyle.
As he was given the gift of foresight, he knew when he was to die. Before passing, Bishop Methodius, who was now appointed Patriarch, wanted to visit the great saint Ioannikios to take his blessing. Ioannikios asked that all of the Christians in the nearby area come also and he encouraged them with one his last spiritual guidance.
He gave his soul peacefully and richly unto the Lord at the magnified age of 94.
After his repose, the monks on Mount Olympus saw in the sky a bright light and before the light were many angels. Behind them stood Ioannikios. The angels opened the gates of heaven for Ioannikios and he walked through bowing to the Holy Trinity.
Patriarch Methodius then buried him, and from his holy relics many miracles occurred. They continue to come for those with deep faith and love for Christ.
Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 8
By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / O our holy father Joannicius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!
Kontakion — Tone 4
Today we celebrate together your honored memory, / and we faithfully beseech you, O holy Joannicius / that we may find mercy with the Lord!