John Kalliergus

Saint John Kalliergus (John the doer of good works) was bishop of Paphos, in Cyprus, in the first half of the twelfth century. There is no biography of him; what is known comes from local tradition and from some historians. Our source does not say on which day he is commemorated.

According to these, he was born at Malounta, in Paphos, a settlement which today belongs to Agios Ioannis Pafou. He probably lived in the first half of the twelfth century (1100 to 1150). Because he did good works (he helped with the needs of the Church, comforted widows, protected and helped orphans, stood by people in their trials, and helped the poor and those with many children), the people called him Kalliergus, that is, one who does good works.

Saint John Kalliergus founded the monastery of Saint Sabbas of Karonas, near the community of Prasteio Kelokedaron, and was its first abbot. In this monastery an old icon of Saint John was found, which is kept today in the monastery of Panagia Chrysorrogiatissa. Afterward John became bishop of Paphos.

After his death he was canonized because of the miracles he worked. He was buried in his native village of Malounta. The inhabitants of the village built a church dedicated to Saint John, in which they placed his relics. After the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, the village became Turkish, the church was abandoned and the relics were lost. Nevertheless, the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Malounta and of the neighbouring Agios Ioannis Pafou continued to honour Saint John and lit a lamp in that church until the Turkish invasion of 1974, when they moved to northern Cyprus. The village of Agios Ioannis Pafou took its name from Saint John Kalliergus. He is venerated chiefly locally, in Cyprus.