Saint John Chrysostom ('Golden- Mothed')

The portrait of St John Chrysostom (AD c.350–407) was placed on the western wall of the Southern Chapel adjacent to the southern aisle of the cathedral. The ascetic and preacher of Antioch was presented according to the formula developed about midway through the seventh century AD. The painting is a good example of the sixthand seventh-century AD tendency to create schematic, idealistic and abstract portraits of saints. St John Chrysostom was portrayed as a relatively young man with full, oval face, receding hair, sparse black beard and thin, drooping moustache – the sparse facial hair has been mentioned by his contemporaries. The white omophorion wrapped around his neck and a large codex of the Gospels indicate episcopal office. The elongated, yellow object hanging around the saint’s neck may be a pencil case. St John Chrysostom, Antiochene priest and Patriarch of Constantinople, was a renowned Christian writer whose written legacy earned him the meritorious title of doctor of the Church, while his oratorial talent – the nickname of ‘Golden-Mouthed’ (Greek: Chrysostomos).