Home  Kalendar  Program  History  Our Vicar  Pictures  Links  Shopping  Video  News   Worship... Baptism Divine Mercy Holy Eucharist Lectionary Mass, about Rosary ------------------- Calendar Church Year Liturgical Colors Advent Christmas Epiphany Lent Holy Week Easter Ordianry Time   Resources... Apostle's Creed Articles of Religion Athanasian Creed Lambeth 1886 1888 Natures of Christ Nicene Creed Preface 1st BCP Ten Commandments ---------------------- Apostles Books of the Bible Glossary Resource Page Sacraments Saints (Alpha) Saints (Patron) Sign of the Cross Vestments
 

John of Damascus, Priest, c. 760
4 December

John spent most of his life in the monastery of St. Sabas, near Jerusalem, and all of his life under Muslim rule, indeed, protected by it. He was born in Damascus, received a classical and theological education, and followed his father in a government position under the Arabs. After a few years he resigned and went to the monastery of St. Sabas.

He is famous in three areas. First, he is known for his writings against the iconoclasts, who opposed the veneration of images. Paradoxically, it was the Eastern Christian emperor Leo who forbade the practice, and it was because John lived in Muslim territory that his enemies could not silence him. Second, he is famous for his treatise, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, a summary of the Greek Fathers (of which he became the last). It is said that this book is to Eastern schools what the Summa of Aquinas became to the West. Thirdly, he is known as a poet, one of the two greatest of the Eastern Church, the other being Romanus the Melodist. His devotion to the Blessed Mother and his sermons on her feasts are well known.
 

© 2005-08 Saint Matthew's Church
Biblical † Orthodox † Anglo-Catholic
Established 1886
Some pages require Adobe Reader
Contact the Webmaster