St. John the Illuminator descended from Lampadou, as his surname reveals, just like St. Herakleidios. ‹‹ … from the renowned island of Cyprus, from the village of Lampadou in the district of Galata››. (Costas Myriantheas St John the Illuminator)

He lived during the 11 th century. His parents were the priest Kyriakos and his mother Anna.

He was nurtured with the essence of the faith and learned the holy scriptures from an early age. Because of his great love for God, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to Him.

When he was 18 years old his parents were pressing him to be engaged, forgetting that their son was the fruit of their prayers and pleas.

After the engagement, John decided to break his engagement and dedicate himself to God. He announced to the parents of his fiancee his irreversible decision. In spite their bitterness and their feelings of being insulted, they pretended that they still had loving feelings for him. They invited him to dinner and poisoned him and as a result John was blinded. The scene of this lethal dinner with the poisonous fishes that they offered to him is depicted in a large portable icon, which is found in his monastery in Kalopanagiotis.

He was now blind. But he says "If they have taken from me the eyes of the body, the eyes of the soul exist, so that I will praise the name of God with greater zeal".

With the help of a servant who had the same name as he did, he leaves Lampadou and ascends to the monastery of his fellow-villager, St. Herakleidios.

He lived three years of angelic, ascetic life "teaching everyone that -if they want- they are able to live 'close' to Christ".

He was 22 years old when he delivered his "snow-white soul" to the Lord.