<p>St. John Damascene was born into a prominent family known as Mansour &ndash; &ldquo;The Victorious one&rdquo; in Damascus.&nbsp; Not much is known that is authentic of his life.&nbsp; What we do know of him is by the account of John of Jerusalem, written 200 years after his death. &nbsp; It is believed that when Damascus fell into the hands of the Arabs, the ancestors of John were the only ones who remained faithful to Christianity.&nbsp; They commanded the respect of the conqueror, and were placed in judicial offices of trust and dignity, to administer Christian law. &nbsp;</p> <p>His father, besides his honorable rank, had created great wealth.&nbsp; He accredited this to his devotion to release Christian slaves, giving them their freedom.&nbsp; Peter II baptized St. John immediately on his birth; he was the Bishop of Damascus.&nbsp; His father was determined to devote John&rsquo;s life to studying, rather than the habits of war that was popular among the youth of his times.&nbsp; The Saracen pirates of the seashore neighboring to Damascus swept the Mediterranean and brought in Christian captives from all quarters.&nbsp; A Monk named Cosmas had the misfortune to fall into the hands of these rebels. &nbsp;</p> <p>He was set apart for death, when his executioners, most likely Christian Slaves, fell at his feet and begged his intercession with the Redeemer.&nbsp; The Saracens asked Cosmas who he was, and he told them he was not a Priest, but a simple monk.&nbsp; John&rsquo;s father was surprised at the humility of Cosmas.&nbsp; Cosmas answered, &ldquo;It is not for the loss of my life, but of my learning that I weep&rdquo;.&nbsp; St. John&rsquo;s father thinking he would make a valuable tutor for his son bought his life from the Saracen governor.&nbsp; He gave him his freedom, and placed his son under him to be tutored.&nbsp; After he taught John all he could, he retired to the monastery of St. Sabas, and lived his days in peace. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 743, Khalif Ahlid II persecuted the Christians.&nbsp; He cut off the tongue of Peter, metropolitan of Damascus, and banished him to Arabia.&nbsp; Peter the Bishop of Majuma, suffered decapitation.&nbsp; The Abbott sent St. John in the meanest and most beggarly attire to sell baskets in the marketplace of Damascus.&nbsp; The harshness of the Abbot didn&rsquo;t end there.&nbsp; A man had lost his brother, and broken hearted at his lost, sought St. John to compose him a sweet hymn that might be sung at his brother&rsquo;s funeral, and at the same time would soothe his own sorrow.&nbsp; John asked the Abbot for a leave, and was refused permission.&nbsp; But when John saw the distress of the mourner, he yeilded and sang him a beautiful song. &nbsp;</p> <p>The Abbot was passing at the time, and heard the voice of his disciple raised in song.&nbsp; Highly angered, he expelled John from the monastery, and only allowed him to return on one condition, of his daily cleaning the filth from all the cells of his brethren.&nbsp; The Abbot was rubuked for wasting the splendid talents of this young man.&nbsp; John was allowed to devote himself to religious poetry, which became the heritage of the Eastern Church.&nbsp; Some of his great hymns or canons are those on Easter and the Ascension.&nbsp; His eloquent love and defense of Christian images, has deservedly procured him the title of &ldquo;The Doctor of Christian Art&rdquo;.&nbsp; The date of his death is not certain. &nbsp;</p>