Father Ioannis Vernezos  was born in 1939 in Pagontas of Dirphi in a pious family, was nurtured in the Christian faith and life and from an early age he had the desire for the priestly ministry.

He received his ecclesiastical education at the Ecclesiastical School of Lamia and then studied Theology at the Theological School of the University of Athens.
He and his chosen wife, Paraskevi, were blessed by God to have six children and nineteen grandchildren. One of their sons became a priest and one of their daughters became the elder of her priest husband.

God called him to serve faithfully as a priest of St. John the Russian for 54 consecutive years, until his death at the age of 78. His abilities made his long-time superiors, the Metropolitans (four in number), entrust him as Superior of the Holy Shrine.
During his many years of service next to the Saint, he witnessed miracles and recorded the testimonies of the numerous faithful who came to the Holy Church to thank the Saint for the miracle he performed for them…. Part of this wealth of testimonies he deposited in his book “Life and New Miracles of Saint John of Russia”.

He was the author of other books on psychoanalysis, possessed the gift of speech and had many spiritual children.
He consecrated five chapels in the periphery of the Sanctuary of Saint John of Russia, in the surrounding mountains: the Transfiguration of the Saviour, the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin, Saint Cosmas of Aetolo, the three Holy Mothers Emmelia, Anthousia and Nonna, and the Nativity of the Virgin.

His tomb is located in the precinct of the Sanctuary, behind the Sanctuary.