St. John was from Novgorod, and from an early age he devoted himself to the service of God. He became a monk with the name Elijah in the monastery he founded himself.
For his pious life, in 1165 he was elected Archbishop of Novgorod. With the intercession of the Mother of God, Novgorod was miraculously saved from the invasion of the Suzdalians on February 25, 1170. Taking care of the spiritual needs of his flock, he built seven churches in Novgorod. The saint also became famous for his pious life: he was very merciful, distinguished by meekness and unfeigned love.
Out of the malice of the devil, he was accused of an unclean life and expelled from Novgorod. The Novgorodians put the saint on a raft and let him go down the Volkhov. But the Lord miraculously brought them to reason: the raft floated up against the current. Having repented, the people tearfully begged the saint to return. The benevolent archpastor forgave them and returned to his pulpit with great triumph.
Upon learning of the approach of his death, the saint accepted the schema with the former name John and peacefully departed to the Lord on September 7, 1186. The incorruptible relics of Saint John were found in 1439.