Saint Giovanni Theristi

Biography

Saint Giovanni Theristi, also known as Giovanni the Reaper or Giovanni the Harvester, was born between 995 and 1049 in Palermo, Italy. His mother was taken as a slave to Palermo by Saracen raiders while she was pregnant with Giovanni. Unfortunately, his father, Arconte di Cursano, a farmer, was killed during the raid. Despite the Saracen-controlled area lacking churches or clergy, Giovanni's mother raised him as a Christian as best she could. At the age of 14, Giovanni managed to escape from Sicily in a small boat, carrying only a handheld cross. His boat eventually grounded at the small town of Stilo, Italy. When the local people found him, Giovanni expressed his desire to be baptized, leading them to hand him over to their bishop. Initially, the bishop was suspicious of the boy, who was dressed as a Moor, suspecting that he might be involved with Saracen raiding parties. However, the bishop eventually realized that Giovanni was truthful, and he baptized him into the faith at one of the old monasteries around the town. It was during this time that Giovanni took the bishop's name as his own. Living among Christians in Stilo, Giovanni started feeling a calling to religious life. He pursued this calling by studying with the monks who resided in the caves around the town. He learned particularly from two ascetic Basilian monks, Ambrose and Nicola. While still a young man, Giovanni joined the Basilians and eventually became the abbot of the community. In his role as abbot, he founded the monastery at Bivongi, Italy, which was later renamed in his honor. Numerous stories about Giovanni's life have been passed down, some of which involve miraculous events while others showcase his compassion for the poor and his dedication to living a Christian life following the Basilian Rule. One account tells of how the boat Giovanni used to escape from Palermo safely carried him to Stilo without the need for oars or sails. In another account, Turkish raiders spotted the boat while at sea, but it mysteriously sank beneath the water, hiding Giovanni until the raiders sailed away. Giovanni's concern for the poor was evident in several stories. He would assist reapers in the fields and give all he earned to those in need. On one occasion, Giovanni prayed for help to save a harvest that was threatened by a storm. An angel appeared and quickly harvested the crop, saving the peasants from potential starvation. Another time, Giovanni prayed for a storm to cease, allowing the locals to harvest their crops. Once the task was complete, he stopped praying, and the storm moved on. His dedication to helping others extended to his own family's wealth. Upon learning of treasure that belonged to his family prior to the raid that killed his father, Giovanni distributed the newfound wealth to the poor. Giovanni displayed his devotion to God by enduring physical discomfort in his prayers. One of the caves near the Basilian monastery where he studied contained a spring of water. During winter, Giovanni would stand in the icy waters, deep in prayer. Another account tells of Ruggero il Guiscardo, suffering from an incurable sore on his face, being healed upon contact with Giovanni's tunic. Saint Giovanni Theristi died between 1054 and 1129 in Stilo, Italy, of natural causes. He was buried at the monastery of the Madonna del Maestro, also known as "S Giovanni Teresti old." In 1660, Pope Alexander VIII ordered the transfer of his relics to the town of Stilo in hopes of protection from earthquakes and brigands. Along with the relics of Ambrose and Nicola, the Basilian monks who had guided Giovanni into religious life, they were enshrined in a church given by the Minim Fathers to the Basilians in 1662. This church was named San Giovanni Teristi. In 1724, a bone from Saint Giovanni Theristi's arm was donated to Palermo, Italy, where it was enshrined in a silver, arm-shaped reliquary. This relic is still displayed in the cathedral of Palermo. Saint Giovanni Theristi is recognized as the patron saint of Stilo, Italy. His feast days are celebrated on February 23 and 24 in Stilo and the monastery of Bivongi, Italy, respectively. The dedication of the church named in his honor is commemorated on June 24. Formerly, his feast day in Palermo, Italy, was celebrated on February 26.