An accomplished ascetic, wonderworker, and hermit from the region of Antioch, Saint John was sent by the Theotokos to Georgia along with twelve disciples chosen with the help of angels to the further establish the Faith their and provide a foundation for the monastic life. Once in Georgia, the Lord revealed a cave on Mount Zaden where the saint was to do battle with the demons. Formerly a stronghold of idolatry, Saint John assaulted and broke the power of the enemy with superhuman feats of fasting and night prayer. The demons fled in terror, and the mountain became a beacon giving light to the whole country. Routed but not willing to utterly abandon their former stronghold, the demons mounted assault after assault on the man of God, hoping to regain a foothold, but the saint held off their every attack like a bulwark. As a result, the monastic life took root and began to bear fruit as Saint John sent out his disciples as missionaries whom he taught to preach like the apostles. They too were granted power to tread on serpents and scorpions and to expose and dismantle all the Devil’s devices. Even at the end of his life, Saint John was continually aware that, without God’s grace sustaining him, the Devil would attempt to sift him like wheat as a new Peter. Victorious to the end, a great number of saints and angels appeared to escort his soul to Paradise.