SKU: 23217741017

St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria icon (1)

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St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria icon (1)Orthodox icon of Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. Icon of 16 cent. Anapfsa Monastery, Meteora Greece. Commemorated November 12. Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, was born on Cyprus in the seventh century into the family of the illustrious dignitary Epiphanius. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage and had children. When the wife and the children of the saint died, he became a monk. He was zealous in

Orthodox icon of Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. Icon of 16 cent. Anapfsa Monastery, Meteora Greece.

Commemorated November 12.

Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, was born on Cyprus in the seventh century into the family of the illustrious dignitary Epiphanius. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage and had children. When the wife and the children of the saint died, he became a monk. He was zealous in fasting and prayer, and had great love for those around him. His spiritual exploits won him honor among men, and even the emperor revered him. When the Patriarchal throne of Alexandria fell vacant, the emperor Heraclius and all the clergy begged St John to occupy the Patriarchal throne. The saint worthily assumed his archpastoral service, concerning himself with the moral and dogmatic welfare of his flock.

As patriarch he denounced every soul-destroying heresy, and drove out from Alexandria the Monophysite Phyllonos of Antioch. He considered his chief task to be charitable and to give help all those in need. At the beginning of his patriarchal service he ordered his stewards to compile a list of all the poor and downtrodden in Alexandria, which turned out to be over seven thousand men. The saint ordered that all of these unfortunates be provided for each day out of the church's treasury.

Twice during the week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, he emerged from the doors of the patriarchal cathedral, and sitting on the church portico, he received everyone in need. He settled quarrels, helped the wronged, and distributed alms. Three times a week he visited the sick-houses, and rendered assistance to the suffering. It was during this period that the emperor Heraclius led a tremendous army against the Persian emperor Chosroes II.

The Persians ravaged and burned Jerusalem, taking a multitude of captives. The holy Patriarch John gave a large portion of the church treasury for their ransom. The saint never refused suppliants. One day, when the saint was visiting the sick, he met a beggar and commanded that he be given six silver coins. The beggar changed his clothes, ran on ahead of the Patriarch, and again asked for alms. St John gave him six more silver coins.

When, however, the beggar sought charity a third time, and the servants began to chase the fellow away, the Patriarch ordered that he be given twelve pieces of silver, saying, Perhaps he is Christ putting me to the test. Twice the saint gave money to a merchant that had suffered shipwreck, and a third time gave him a ship belonging to the Patriarchate and filled with grain, with which the merchant had a successful journey and repaid his obligations.

St John the Merciful was known for his gentle attitude towards people. Once, the saint was compelled to excommunicate two clergymen for a certain time because of some offense. One of them repented, but the other fellow became angry with the Patriarch and fell into greater sins. The saint wanted to summon him and calm him with kind words, but it slipped his mind. When he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy, the saint was suddenly reminded by the words of the Gospel: if you bring your gift to the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar ... first, be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Mt. 5:23-24).

The saint came out of the altar, called the offending clergyman to him, and falling down on his knees before him in front of all the people he asked forgiveness. The cleric, filled with remorse, repented of his sin, corrected himself, and afterwards was found worthy to be ordained to the priesthood. There was a time when a certain citizen insulted George, the Patriarch's nephew. George asked the saint to avenge the wrong. The saint promised to deal with the offender so that all of Alexandria would marvel at what he had done. This calmed George, and St John began to instruct him, speaking of the necessity for meekness and humility.

Then he summoned the man who insulted George. When St John learned that the man lived in a house owned by the church, he declared that he would excuse him from paying rent for an entire year. Alexandria indeed was amazed by such a revenge,and George learned from his uncle how to forgive offenses and to bear insults for God's sake. St John, a strict ascetic and man of prayer, was always mindful of his soul, and of death.

He ordered a coffin for himself, but told the craftsmen not to finish it. Instead, he would have them come each feast day and ask if it was time to finish the work. St John was persuaded to accompany the governor Nicetas on a visit to the emperor in Constantinople. While on his way to visit the earthly king, he dreamed of a resplendent man who said to him, The King of Kings summons you.He sailed to his native island of Cyprus, and died at Amanthos, the saint peacefully fell asleep in the Lord (616-620).

Reference: O.C.A.

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SKU: 23217741017

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Ruth Zimmerman
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 2
Not heavy enough.
Size: 19inch
Does not support a double umbrella.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2026
S
SkincareJunkie420
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
My Dogs Love This!
As a dog mom to two pups, I’m always looking for toys that encourage interactive play, and this one has been a hit. ✨ What stood out: ✔ Easy-to-grab handles ✔ Great for tug-of-war ✔ Flexible but sturdy design ✔ Floats in water ✔ Fun sensory scent ✔ Perfect size for medium dogs The dual-handle design makes it comfortable for both me and my dogs during tug games, and it feels much safer than trying to grab random rope toys. The material has enough flexibility to be comfortable while still feeling durable enough for active play. My dogs immediately took interest in it, and we’ve used it both indoors and outdoors. It’s made from a thick material that is extremely durable as well as chew resistant. My dogs go crazy over it! If your dog enjoys tug-of-war, fetch, or interactive play with their humans, this is a really fun option!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2026
A
Amazon Customer
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Quality materials, durable, and fun to play with.
This Pupstages Flex-Force tug toy is perfect for people who have two large dogs, like I do. The two-handle design is a great feature. It gives you a comfortable, secure grip during tug-of-war, which makes playtime feel more controlled. It’s also helpful if you have two dogs who want to play at the same time, because each can grab a side and get into the game. Another fun thing about the design is that the irregular shape gives it an unpredictable bounce that’s exciting for my dog who loves to fetch. The material is rubbery enough that it bounces well too. The material has a bit of flex to it, which helps absorb some of the pulling force instead of feeling rigid. That slight give makes tugging feel smoother and a little easier on both your hands and your dog’s mouth. It’s also more fun for my dogs. It’s sturdy enough for regular play, though as with most toys, extremely aggressive chewers may still wear it down over time. So far, I’ve been impressed by how sturdy it is. The material feels high-quality to me, like it’s made from very good materials. I’ve owned probably a hundred different dog toys, and this feels like one of the better made ones. One fun detail is the blueberry-apple scent. It’s not overpowering, but it’s noticeable enough to make the toy more interesting to dogs. I can smell it if I hold it up to my nose. Whether they think it smells like a gourmet treat or just “intriguing mystery object” is up to them, but it definitely adds to the appeal. The fact that it floats is a nice bonus. It opens up the option for water play, like tugging at the edge of a pool, lake, or even just retrieving it from shallow water. I have a tiny pond in my backyard, so most dog toys end up wet at some point. Size-wise, it works well for a range of breeds. It’s big enough to feel substantial but not so large that it becomes awkward to handle. It has some nice weight to it, while still being manageable for smaller dogs to carry. This is a fun, well-designed tug toy that encourages interactive play. It’s comfortable to hold, engaging for my dogs, and versatile enough for both land and water adventures. I think it’s a very good value at the current price.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2026
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Lynne
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 4
Not for aggressive chewers but fun otherwise!
This flex tug toy is great for pups who loves tug of war! It is a softer material than I thought it would be, which does make it more likely to be ripped by aggressive chewers. I have a pitbull who would easily destroy this toy. Luckily, I have a smaller puppy as well, and he loves playing tug of war with it. The soft material makes it more comfortable to be held when playing. It also smells much better than most dog toys lol! The blueberry scent is great and definitely makes it more enjoyable for me to play with my dog, and he loves it too!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2026
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AmazonCustomer
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Durable + Fun Design + Smells Good Too
I chose this flex-force dog tug toy from Pupstages for my two Pitbulls. They like to wrestle and this seemed like a good option that would keep them from wrestling throat to throat. This sounds scary, but they never bring blood or even have slobber on their neck when they’re playing. I was extremely pleased with the quality of this dog boy and also the scent was bright and fun. I asked my husband to smell it before I told him what it was, he said it smelled fruity. The blueberry apple scent is pleasant and might keep it long-term from smelling like dog slobber. The materials used to make this feels very durable and it stretches easily. It’s also a fun way to play with each dog one on one or sometimes play with both of them while I pull on the other end. Even though my dogs are aggressive chewers, I don’t have any concerns about the durability of this toy. It will not be something that I leave for them to chew on when we are not playing since it was not designed for that purpose. If they accidentally get a hold of it, I don’t think it will be an issue short term if they chew on it. For the sake of comparison, I had a dog pull toy that I would have said was similar to this one. When this pull toy from Pupstages arrived, I realized there was a difference compared to a similar toy we have had a couple years. Our previous toy’s design - connected the two loops without any angle - that toy lays flat on the counter. This toy connects the two looped areas at a 90° angle to each other. I like this design. This new angle feels different when tugging for me and the dogs. I can hold the old toy and the new toy and offer to play…at least now, they are choosing this one. I hope my details, thoughts and photos help someone.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2026

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