A Prodigal Saint: Father John of Kronstadt and the Russian People

Rarely are we privileged to see the making of a saint, but it is just what this book gives us for John of Kronstadt (1829–1908), a major figure in the religious life of Late Imperial Russia. So popular was Father John during his years of ministry that Kronstadt became a pilgrimage site replete with peddlers selling souvenir photographs, postcards, and commemorative mugs.

A Prodigal Saint follows Father John’s development from activist priest to venerated spiritual leader and, after his deat...