Career
But since Theodore of Uglich wanted someone to succeed him as Bishop of Chernigov, he appointed John Archimandrite of the Eletsky monastery there in 1695. Theodore of Uglich died in 1696 and John became Archbishop of Chernigov. During his pastorate in Chernigov, John distinguished himself with running a Spiritual Academy, writing prose and poetry inspired by faith, and inspiring faith in others
His most famous work, which is still the standard work on Theodicy among the Eastern Orthodox, is "Iliotropion", which he wrote in Latin, translated into Slavonic and then into Russian.
John died peacefully in 1715, inside his quarters while at prayer. Saint John was honoured as a saint in Siberia by longstanding local veneration.
His feast day is celebrated annually on June 10, the anniversary of repose. Saint John of Tobolsk is related to a later, 20th-century saint, John of Shanghai and San Francisco.