Saint John was born in the Syrian city of Damascus - the capital of the Muslim world - around 680. His father Sergius Mansur was a Christian and served as chief treasurer under the Damascus caliph. When John was ten years old, his father found among the captives brought to the Damascus market an educated monk who, as it turned out, was strong not only in secular sciences, but in music and theology. This monk taught John and his adopted brother Cosmas (the future Bishop of Mayum) sciences, but achieved particular success from his brothers in theology. Soon the monk left the family, explaining to the boys' father that they had become wise men. Sergius himself soon died, and John was forced to take his father's place in the service of the caliph. After some time, the caliph, who noticed John’s high education and wisdom, made him his first minister and mayor of Damascus.
John was very burdened by his position, but wealth and luxury could not harm the purity of his soul. Despite all the difficulties associated with his position, he burned with a fiery love for the Orthodox Church and always, like his father, defended Christians from the oppression of Muslims. As he himself later put it: “I became the defender of the Church and brought the talent of speech entrusted to me to its defense.”
In 726 Byzantine Empire the time of iconoclasm is coming. Emperor Leo the Isaurian (716 - 741) set out to convert the Arabs to Christianity in order to protect themselves in the future from their devastating raids. But one of the important obstacles to the implementation of his plan was the veneration of icons, which Muslims could not accept in principle.
The solution was simple: the emperor issues a decree prohibiting the veneration of holy icons and even their use. This decree caused serious unrest in the Byzantine Empire, splitting it into two camps - iconoclasts and icon worshipers. The departure from the truth for the sake of political interests caused strong resistance from the Patriarch of Constantinople Germanus, Pope Gregory III and who had already become a great theologian by that time John of Damascus. The excellent gift of speech, which John actually possessed, helped him in compiling “Words” and “Epistle”, which were read avidly in Constantinople and other cities, passed from hand to hand and simply retold. In his works, John of Damascus very effectively used all possible historical arguments and referred to parables told by saints. He said that if the shadows and handkerchiefs of the apostles healed diseases, then why can’t we honor their icons?
All these calls and exhortations acted mainly on ordinary people - strengthening some on the path of confession true faith, helping others who have stumbled to find this very truth. But they only irritated the emperor, and he simply tried to get rid of his main opponents. He deposed Patriarch Herman, and ordered Pope Gregory III to be either poisoned or killed with a sword. But, fortunately, he did not succeed in his plan - the Romans stood up for their dad with weapons in their hands. The iconoclast decided to slander John of Damascus before the caliph. He ordered his scribe to forge John's handwriting and write a letter addressed to him, the Emperor of Byzantium, in which John of Damascus allegedly offers the emperor assistance in overthrowing the caliph.
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Joy and gratitude filled John’s soul, and he wrote his first majestic song: “Every creature rejoices in You, O Gracious One.”
The rumor about this miracle reached the caliph, and he summoned John to him. Having listened to the explanations of John of Damascus this time, the caliph realized that he had unfairly offended his faithful servant and ordered his mistake to be corrected, generously rewarding him and offering to continue his service further. But John of Damascus realized how fragile earthly gold and worldly glory are and abandoned all this.
Having distributed all his property to the poor, John, together with his half-brother Cosmas, went to the monastery of the Monk Sava the Sanctified, located near Jerusalem.
Patriarch John of Jerusalem, under whose jurisdiction this monastery was located, in Jerusalem ordains John of Damascus as a presbyter and leaves him as a guide at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. But after the patriarch leaves this world, John returns to the monastery, where he continues his theological works in defense and glorification of Orthodoxy. John of Damascus lived to a ripe old age and died around 780.
Saint John of Damascus is the first taxonomist among the Fathers of the Church, an unsurpassed writer of church hymns and a zealous defender of the foundations of Orthodoxy.
Of the systematic works of John of Damascus, the most important are:
“Dialectics” (contains a rethought presentation of the best from Aristotle, Porphyry, Nemesius, etc.);
“The Book of Heresies” (in particular, this includes an exposition and criticism of the teachings of Mohammed);
"An Accurate Exposition of the Orthodox Faith."
Among the polemical-dogmatic works of St. The books of John of Damascus occupy first place:
“Epistle against those who condemn holy icons”;
Essay against the Nestorians "Discourse".
It is to John of Damascus that we owe the appearance of the Octoechos (Osmoglasnik) - Sunday services divided into 8 voices.
Even during his lifetime, this book and some of John’s canons began to be introduced not only into the Greek Churches, but even into the Syrian Churches, among the Jacobites and Nestorians. With his Okotoich St. John of Damascus made a great change in the order of worship, so he again revised both the Rule of Jerusalem (Sava the Sanctified) and the Months.
(2nd half of the 7th century – until 754)
Biography
The life of St. John of Damascus before becoming a monk
Little is known reliably about the biographical details of the childhood and youth of St. John of Damascus. There is reason to assert that Saint John was born in Damascus in the second half of the 7th century.
He came from a famous and very wealthy family. His ancestors were directly related to the highest power structures that governed the territory of Syria. The reverend's grandfather, Mansur ibn Serjun, held the position of chief of staff of the Damascus tax service, and, thanks to his personal qualities, he retained this post even when there was a change of rulers.
His son, Serjun ibn Mansur, is described in one of the chronicles of the late 7th century as both a Christian and a treasure keeper. Judging by the researchers' estimates, John's ancestors were probably of Syrian rather than Arab origin.
It is believed that a well-educated monk from Calabria, who was ransomed by the father of John of Damascus, Sergius (ibn Serjun), from captivity, played a significant role in the training of the monk. At one time, seeing this slave, shedding bitter tears, and asking him what was the reason for such inconsolable crying, Sergius heard in response that he regretted that he might have to die without having time to transfer his spiritual wealth to anyone (accumulated experience).
As it turned out, the monk had extensive knowledge in the fields of theology, philosophy, music, dialectics, rhetoric, physics, and astronomy. What exactly he taught his ward is unknown, but based on the subsequently compiled theological and hymnal works of John of Damascus, it is not difficult to guess that he was able to put a lot of useful things into his soul. Together with John, Sergius' adopted son, Cosmas (the future saint Cosmas of Mayum), also studied with the monk.
Having received a proper education, John, as the son of a high-ranking subject, took a place in the power hierarchy corresponding to the position of his father. There is no unanimous opinion regarding the type of his professional activity. According to some sources, John served in the leadership of the tax collection service, and according to others, he served as the mayor of Damascus, the first minister of the caliph.
Being surrounded by privileges and honor, John of Damascus, however, did not consider the path of a secular career and material well-being to be the best path. His heart was already directed towards Christ. They say that already in those days he stood up to defend the Orthodox faith from various heretics.
But now, by the Providence of God, he was destined to face the final choice between worldly happiness and complete renunciation of the affairs of this world. When iconoclastic disputes broke out under Emperor Leo the Isaurian, and then, after 728, cruel persecution of admirers of Orthodox icons began, John of Damascus directed the power of his talent, his knowledge, and his zeal to the fight against the iconoclastic heresy.
Monastic feat
Eventually, the activities of the monk became known and began to irritate even the iconoclast emperor himself. And then the heretics used their favorite heretical weapon - lies - to fight the fighter for the purity of faith. Only this time the lie was not aimed at the dogmas of faith, but at undermining the reputation of their defender. John of Damascus was slandered before the caliph, accused of conspiracy and treason. Moreover, for this purpose, a method of slander that was both sophisticated and shameful was chosen. The clerk, having forged the saint's handwriting, wrote a letter to the emperor on his behalf with a promise to surrender the city of Damascus. This letter was then given to the Caliph. As a result, John was subjected to disgrace and cruel punishment: cutting off his hand.
But by special Divine intervention, after the tearful, heartfelt prayer of the sufferer in front of the icon of the Mother of God, the severed hand, leaning against the wound and tied with a handkerchief, was miraculously healed (at that time he was as if in a dream), the desecrated honor was restored, and the detractors were put to shame. Subsequently, in memory and gratitude of this event, the monk attached to the icon an image of a hand made of silver. In honor of this event, the image of the Mother of God “Three Hands” was established in iconography
John was again offered a place at court, but he refused the position and, having distributed all his property, freeing his slaves, withdrew from this world, joining the ranks of the monastic brotherhood. It is known that monastic tonsure took place in one of the Palestinian monasteries. There is a legend that this monastery became the Lavra of St. Savva the Consecrated. Along with monasticism, John also adopted a new name, under which he became glorified before God and the Church - John (before that his name was like his grandfather: Mansur).
They say that at first the monks treated him with caution, because after all, he was a former nobleman. Many refused to take him under their mentorship. Finally, there was one stern ascetic who agreed to take him into obedience. True, at the same time, John was given a firm condition that he resolutely refuse to engage in any literary work. And he refused.
But it happened that a relative of one monk died, after which he, overwhelmed with grief, began to beg John to write something comforting about this. John refused for a long time, but then he finally decided and composed funeral verses. The poems turned out to be beautiful, but the saint’s mentor, the elder, who forbade him to engage in writing, was indignant and even kicked him out of his cell. Then John began to ask him for forgiveness. Other monastic brethren also joined this request. Finally, the elder agreed to forgive the monk, but he, according to his word, had to cleanse the monastery of impurities with his own hands.
John, showing sincere humility, fulfilled the order, which touched the heart of the stern confessor. Meanwhile, the Mother of God Herself stood up for John, appearing to the elder in a vision. After this incident, the elder blessed John for literary creativity for the glory of Orthodoxy.
According to some sources, at one time Patriarch John of Jerusalem summoned John of Damascus to himself and ordained him to the rank of presbyter. Soon the Patriarch rested and John returned to his monastery. The year was 735.
After the throne of the autocrat passed to Copronymus, the struggle with icons broke out with even greater ferocity. John of Damascus, having arrived in Constantinople, boldly denounced the emperor and the heretical bishops who looked into his mouth. It is alleged that at the Council of 754 (755) an anathematism was pronounced against St. John of Damascus. According to some information, he was even imprisoned.
The year of the saint's death is not precisely established. It is believed that John of Damascus rested in the Lord around 775-780.
Creative heritage
Saint John was an extremely talented and prolific church writer. With all the breadth of topics raised in his writings, it is difficult to find a place in them worthy of negative criticism. In this regard, John of Damascus is rightly recognized as one of the most sober and orthodox exponents of the Holy Tradition of the Church.
Among the most famous fundamental works of this father stands out. A characteristic feature of this theological treatise, which distinguishes it from many other doctrinal manuals of that time, is a clear, systematic presentation, a brief but succinct explanation of the dogmatic truths presented.
Another, no less remarkable composition can be called. Within the framework of this work, a clear explanation is given of the most important theological expressions and terms, including those formally borrowed from philosophy. The work is devoted to listing and exposing heresies: .
In addition, the monk compiled many works of various directions, including those dedicated to the most important Christian Holidays (see, for example: ; ; ) as well as hymnographic and song-writing nature (see: Easter Canon).
Troparion to St. John of Damascus, tone 8
Teacher of Orthodoxy, / teacher of piety and purity, / lamp of the universe, / God-inspired fertilizer for monastics, John the Wise, / with your teachings you have enlightened everything, O spiritual priest, // pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion to St. John of Damascus, tone 4
Let us sing to the hymn-writer and honest blabbermouth, / to the Church as a punisher and teacher / and to the enemies of the adversary: for we lift up the weapon, the Cross of the Lord, / reflect all the charm of heresies / and as a warm intercessor to God // grants forgiveness of sins to all.
St. John of Damascus created a clear and convincing synthesis of patristic theology and asceticism, and above all a post-Chalcedonian energetic Christology of Alexandrian origin. At the same time, participation in iconoclastic disputes forced him, like the ancient Antiochians, to emphasize the specific individuality of Jesus. The work of St. Petersburg was of great importance for overcoming the heresy of iconoclasm. John of Damascus, who sought to dogmatically and philosophically substantiate the significance and necessity of icons in Christian life and in worship. Treatises by Rev. John of Damascus on the veneration of holy icons established him at the center of the 8th century movement directed against the prejudices of iconoclasm. This was the first detailed apology of religious images of that period, containing a detailed theory of the image.
Rev. John of Damascus (born around 675, Damascus - died 12/04/749, near Jerusalem) after his death became one of the tax officials of the Muslim caliphate. According to legend, he studied together with Cosmas (later Mayumsky) from a certain captive monk from Calabria (also named Kosma). As a minister of state, he wrote the remarkable words “Against those who reject holy icons” (726 – 730), which later attracted everyone’s attention to him. We do not know exactly when John withdrew from the court and secluded himself in the monastery of Saint Sava. The lives of the saint tell of slander and the persecution of him at the court of the caliph, about cruel punishment and miraculous healing. In the monastery the monk lived a strict and secluded life, in humility and obedience, which is so vividly and touchingly described in the well-known hagiography. Most of all, the Monk John was engaged in writing here, and sensitively responded to the theological topics of the day. John of Damascus clearly formulated the Christian understanding of the image and veneration of icons, and his concept subsequently became established in the Church.
The historical background of the theological work of St. John of Damascus, iconoclastic disputes arose. It is important to keep in mind that the iconoclasts transferred the dispute to the plane of philosophical abstraction, justifying their attempt to secularize Byzantine life and culture in the language of Neoplatonic philosophy: icon, and in in a broad sense- a material cult as such is, from this point of view, an insult to a spiritual shrine with an “inglorious and dead substance.” The undesirability of depicting Christ and the saints was justified in principle in the same way as Plotinus in his time, according to the story of Porphyry, justified the undesirability of depicting oneself: the spiritual is still not depictable through the material, and the material is not worth being depicted. Defenders of the veneration of icons in the East - in contrast to the West, where the issue was reduced to the utilitarian aspect of the pedagogical function of icons as “Scriptures for the illiterate” (the classic early expression of the position in relation to sacred art is from Pope Gregory I in letters to Bishop Serenus of Massalia, dating back to July 599 and October 600) and brought down from the heights of speculation to earth - accepted the terms of the discussion; they had to develop a theology of worship. This task fell largely on the shoulders of St. John of Damascus, the intellectual leader of the Orthodox, who, from outside the Byzantine Empire, had the greater opportunity to inspire his like-minded people and outline for them a strategy of argumentation.
In printed editions of the works of St. John of Damascus, the following works are usually indicated, written by him in his era literary activity: Three words of defense against those who condemn the holy icons; A pictorial word about saints and icons worthy of veneration to all Christians and to Tsar Constantine Cavalinus, that is, Copronymus, and to all heretics; Message to King Theophilus about saints and icons worthy of veneration; A polemical conversation conducted by the faithful and Orthodox and having Christian love and zeal, to expose those who oppose the faith and teaching of our holy and Orthodox fathers. These works fulfilled their purpose, they helped many to understand the problem of iconoclasm, they convinced many, but there were also those who did not recognize their content. These works are not recognized by all researchers as the works of St. John of Damascus. It is believed that only three protective words can be recognized as works truly belonging to the pen of St. John. Therefore, in the study it is necessary to refer to the first work of St. John of Damascus in defense of icon veneration.
According to his teaching, saints can be depicted, but in a symbolic and allegorical form. It is possible and necessary to depict what actually happened (scenes from the Holy Scriptures, Lives of the Saints). You can paint Christ in the form in which he was on earth, but you cannot paint the image of God the Father. Images of saints are necessary - they decorate churches, replace books for the illiterate, and constantly remind us of deeds in the name of faith. However, an icon is not a painting, but a sacred image; when we worship an icon, we worship what is depicted on it (the “prototype”), and not the skill of the artist - icons should be anonymous. Icons are miraculous because they carry part of the divine power of the one depicted on them.
St. John constantly provides references to the Holy Scriptures. At the same time, we can notice the patristic interpretation given by him to clarify quotations from the Bible. This tells us that St. John was competent in matters relating to the Tradition of the Church. Speaking about the importance of Tradition, Saint John asks questions in his reasoning and immediately answers them: “For just as the Gospel was preached throughout the whole world without scriptures, so throughout the whole world without scriptures it was committed to depict Christ, God Incarnate, and the saints, as well as and worship the Cross and pray standing to the east." When defending icons, Saint John relies on previously existing works in defense of icons. In particular, he repeats and complements in his written statements the arguments of Leontius of Naples, who said: “I draw and write Christ and the sufferings of Christ in churches and houses, and in squares, and on icons, and on linens, and in storerooms, and on clothes , and in every place, so that, seeing them clearly, you remember, and not forget... And just as you, when you worship the book of the Law, worship not the nature of the skins and ink, but the words of God found in it, so I worship the image of Christ. Not the nature of wood and paints - let it not be, but, worshiping the inanimate image of Christ, through it I think to embrace Christ Himself and worship Him... We, Christians, physically kissing the icon of Christ, or the apostles, or the martyr, spiritually kiss Christ Himself, or His martyr."
The most important works in defense of icons are four separate works, on the basis of which it will be possible to fully reveal the teaching of St. John of Damascus on the veneration of icons: “ Three words of defense against those who condemn holy icons or images” and the chapter “On Icons” in the treatise “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith.” In his “Words” in defense of icons, Damascus proceeded from the understanding of iconoclasm as a Christological heresy. The iconoclasts based their objections on the Old Testament prohibition of cupacing, ignoring the Incarnation. In response, St. John writes the following: “In ancient times (i.e. in the Old Testament), God, incorporeal and without form, was never depicted. Now that God appeared in the flesh and lived among people, we depict the visible God... I saw the human image of God, and my soul was saved. I contemplate the image of God, as Jacob saw, and differently: for with the eyes of his mind he saw an immaterial prototype of the future, and I contemplate a reminder of what was seen in the flesh.”
John of Damascus sought to dogmatically and philosophically substantiate the significance and necessity of icons in Christian life and worship. Damascene viewed religious painting in two ways: as an objective process that captures the reality of the world, and as a subjective process that reveals the artist’s inner world. For him, painting, like the Gospels, conveys religious truths perceived through the faith of the artist. “God truly became man for our salvation; did not appear only in human form, as he appeared to Abraham and the prophets, but essentially and truly became a man, lived on earth, communicated with people, performed miracles, suffered, was crucified, resurrected and ascended to heaven - and all this happened in reality, it was apparently by people and described in memory and instruction to us who did not live then.” The Gospels reflected the life of Christ on earth. And since, John continues, not everyone can read, the icons “serve us as a fraternal reminder.” It often happens, writes Damascene, “that we do not even think about the suffering of the Lord, but as soon as we see the icon of the Crucifixion, we remember His saving suffering, and we bow not before the substance, but before the One who is depicted.” John of Damascus clearly formulated the Christian understanding of the icon, and his concept subsequently became established in the Church.
Rejecting charges of idolatry, he made a clear distinction between the worship that is due to God and the veneration that people pay to images of Christ and saints. The Second Commandment must be understood in the context of the circumstances in which it was given. Even Judaism does not prohibit depicting living beings. For Christians, the primary argument was the incarnation of the Son of God - if God took on human flesh, then he can be depicted in this flesh. The iconoclasts objected that the only permitted image of Christ’s humanity was the bread and wine of the Eucharist. They pointed out that the church fathers did not leave a single prayer for the consecration of the icon. The pictorial representation itself contains a heresy: the artist confuses the human principle with the divine, falling into monophysitism, or represents only the human, separating it from the divine, like Nestorius.
In his third word, St. John points to the existing types of images. In total, he cites six such genera, which he saw in the Holy Scriptures. The first type of image is “the image of the Invisible God” (Col. 1:15) - Jesus Christ: “The Son is the natural image of the Father, completely equal in all respects, like the Father, except that he is not begotten, and is not the Father.” The second type of image is the eternal Council of the Holy Trinity, which always remains unchanged. “For at His Council that which was predetermined by Him, and that which should inviolably happen in the future, was, first of all, endowed with signs and images of existence.” The third type of image is man, created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 3:26). “For he who is created cannot be of the same or the same nature with the uncreated, but is an image through imitation and likeness.” The fourth type of images are images and views found in the Holy Scriptures, which show us outlines, similarities of invisible and incorporeal objects, which has as its goal “to give at least some ideas about both God and angels...”. The Monk John also refers to this type of images as those found in the nature that surrounds us. “In creations, we notice images that covertly show us divine suffering, so that when we talk about the Holy Trinity, the highest of all principles, we depict It to ourselves through the sun, light and ray; or - a gushing spring, flowing water and flow" The fifth type of image is that which transforms and foreshadows the future, for example, the bush, the dew falling on the fleece are prototypes of the Virgin - the Mother of God, the serpent hanging on a tree - Christ Jesus. The sixth - the last type of image - is “an image established for the remembrance of the past, for example, a miracle, virtue for the glory and honor of those who declared themselves by the nobility of actions and shone in virtue.” St. John sees the purpose of the image in the fact that it “makes hidden things clear and shows them.” The image was invented for this purpose in order to show the mind the way in the knowledge of truth and to show it those images of the invisible that a person can only partially comprehend, or which are generally inaccessible to his knowledge.
What is depicted and what is not depicted on an icon? In his third word, St. John of Damascus argues as follows. The Divinity by His nature cannot be seen by us, since God is incorporeal. The same can be said about holy and fallen angels, about human souls that are not perceived by human eyes. But the Lord, by His Providence, allowed His chosen ones to see angels, human souls, only in the form that human nature could perceive and assimilate: “God, not wanting us to be completely ignorant of what is incorporeal, clothed it with forms and figures and images, in relation to our nature." Therefore, those images of incorporeal creatures that were contemplated by godly people are depicted by us in a human form worthy of our perception: “...Moses depicted cherubim, and how they appeared to worthy people, however, they are depicted in such a way that the bodily image shows some kind of spectacle, incorporeal and comprehended only by the mind "
St. John explains more deeply the nature of invisible beings in relation to Divinity and humanity: Angel and soul and demon, in comparison with God, Who, however, is the only one above comparison, are bodies. Compared to material bodies (including humans), they are incorporeal. Therefore, angels and human souls cannot be called incorporeal in the full sense of the word. In this regard, they have a certain image of their essence, and are perceived by our mind to an accessible extent. And what can be perceived by us can be depicted as understood and assimilated. God, by His nature, is indescribable, but it is possible to depict those images of His appearance in the material world, which He Himself chose for this. The second Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity - God the Son - became incarnate and became visible. Why can't He be depicted in human form? We depict God the Son on icons as incarnate and living among us humans: “If, in proportion to our ability of understanding, we are raised to divine and immaterial contemplation through images, and divine Providence lovingly clothes with images and forms that which is devoid of forms and images, to lead us as if by a hand, then why is it not decent to depict, in accordance with our ability to understand, Him Who for our sake humanely submitted appearance and image? . “One can “imagine”, “depict” the Invisible God; and this can be done not because He is invisible, but because He became visible to us, having taken on human flesh and blood... I do not depict the invisible Divinity,” writes St. John, “but the flesh of God made visible.”
St. John pays attention to the prototype that we should keep in mind when honoring icons. The honor given to the image goes to the prototype. St. John refers in this case to the authoritative holy father: “For, as Saint Basil (the Great), who speaks God and is powerful in the interpretation of divine objects, says, the honor given to the image passes to the prototype.” By honoring the Mother of God and the saints of God, we thereby give honor to God. Standing in front of the icon of Christ, we mentally unite with Christ Himself, Who is depicted on it. Therefore, when praying in front of an icon, we pray not to the substance, the materials from which the icon is made, but to the one who is depicted on it, mentally turning to his prototype. In connection with the position of the prototype, St. John discusses the dignity of holy icons. He poses the question: what dignity do holy icons have, and how is this explained? We would be wrong if we believed that all the value, importance, and dignity of icons lies only in the material from which the icons are made. Expensive wood, paints, gold, silver, with which we can decorate an icon and give it material value, are not, in fact, the factor that would tell us about the dignity of the holy icon. St. John sees the value of the icon in the image that we honor: “It would be extremely absurd to madly venerate images and worship them for their material value. Hence, main strength The icon lies in the fact that it serves as the image and likeness of the person who is honored and glorified. The more sacred the image, the more revered the image is. We treat pictures of nature differently, differently to pictures of our ancestors, differently to the image of the king, and even differently to the holy icon of the Savior. We accept the first, we respect the second, and we honor the last, all depending only on what is depicted on them.” Thus, it becomes clear to us what the dignity of holy icons is: “Objects consisting of matter in themselves are not worthy of worship, and if the person depicted on them is filled with grace, then, according to the measure of faith, they also become participants in grace.” These objects, already consecrated by the sacred image depicted on them, have a different value, dignity in the eyes of a God-loving person. Contemplating Christ, the Mother of God, and the saints on the icons, we can involuntarily remember their lives, which are role models for us. Therefore, the holy fathers saw the need to depict on icons the exploits of Christ and, in general, those men who showed zeal in serving God and achieved salvation, for our benefit, so that we, contemplating all this, could join in the godly image in our lives.
Rev. John of Damascus names and defines the main functions of icon images, as they were interpreted and formed in the church tradition by the 8th century. Together with the verbal text, icons perform didactic-informative (“Icons replace books for the illiterate,” I. 17) and commemorative (reminder) functions (I. 17). They also have a decorative meaning - they decorate the temple. However, the main functions of the icon are actually sacred. Firstly, the icon (like any religious symbol) does not close the attention of the one contemplating it on itself, but raises his mind “through bodily contemplation to spiritual contemplation” (III. 12). Secondly, sacred images not only elevate the mind to spiritual essences, but are themselves involved in the sublime, the heavenly, for the Savior, having descended through His incarnation to the “humble wisdom” of people, retained His “sublimity” (I. 1264 C). Icons with images of Christ also bear the stamp of the sublime. Thirdly, icons have “divine grace”, which is given to them “for the sake of the name of those depicted on them” (I. 1264 B). This grace “is always co-present” “with the holy names, not in essence, but in grace and action” (I. 19), i.e. is given to the icon by the Holy Spirit and can manifest itself energetically. With the help of the charismatic energy of the icon, believers join in the saints and sacred events depicted and through this receive sanctification. “I place the image of the exploits and sufferings of the saints before my eyes in order to be sanctified through them and encouraged to zealous imitation” (I. 21). Finally, the icon is an object of worship. “Worship is a sign of reverence, that is, humiliation and humility” (III. 27). At the same time, they worship, of course, not the substance, the matter of the icon, but the image imprinted in it (II. 19), and this worship is addressed to the prototype itself. “So, we worship icons, worshiping not matter, but through them those who are depicted on them, for the honor given to the image passes to the prototype, as the divine Basil says” (III. 41). All of the above points can be found in the predecessors of Damascus (for example, in the first word there are 20 quotations from the Holy Fathers, in the second - 27, in the third - 90), but it was he who brought together everything that had been scattered before him in numerous treatises, sermons and messages of the Holy Fathers, into a single and holistic theory of the image.
The icon is consecrated with the name of the person depicted on it, inscribed on the icon, as the Rev. writes. John of Damascus in the first Word: “Obeying church tradition, allow the veneration of icons, sanctified by the name of God and the friends of God and for this reason overshadowed by the grace of the Divine Spirit.” So, according to the teaching of St. John of Damascus, the icon, through its inscription, is overshadowed by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The icon is also an image of the Father’s Hypostasis (but already alien to the Father) and the radiance of His glory, acting through its inscription. “Divine grace is communicated to objects consisting of matter, since they bear the names of those who are depicted on them.”
St. John explains in his writings the difference in worship that we give to God and His servants. The worship of the Divine is different from the worship of the Mother of God or the saints. Service befits God worship, Who is only worthy of such worship. In this service of worship, a person expresses recognition of the Lord as his Creator and Master, and surprise at His ineffable greatness, and love and gratitude for various blessings, hope in God, and prayer to Him and, finally, repentance and confession of one’s sins before Him. There is another way of worship that is appropriate to give to the Mother of God and the saints. It is called reverent. We do not worship saints as God. Reverent worship...is rendered for the sake of the Lord God to the saints, as His friends and faithful servants. They, that is, the saints, by their own free will have reached such a degree of perfection that God rests on them and lives in them as in His temples (1 Cor. 3:16).
Against the iconoclasts it was necessary to defend not only icon painting, but even more the veneration of icons and their worship (πρоσκύνησις). Even if a description or image of God is possible, is it permissible, is it useful? Damascene answers directly, again referring to the Incarnation. The incarnation of the Word sanctifies, as it were, “deifies” the flesh, and thereby makes it venerable - of course, not as a substance, but by the power of its union with God. This applies both to the flesh of Christ and to all “the rest of the substance through which my salvation was accomplished,” for it too is full of Divine power and grace. The Cross, the Sepulcher, Golgotha, the book of the Gospels, which is also a kind of icon, that is, an image or description of the Incarnate Word. The substance is not at all something low or despicable, but a creation of God. And since the incontainable Word was contained in it, the substance became worthy of worship. Therefore, material images are not only possible, but also necessary, and have a direct and positive religious meaning. For “our nature was glorified and transformed into incorruption.” This justifies icon painting and icon veneration in general - icons of saints as a triumph and a sign of victory. In the Old Testament, human nature was still under condemnation, and death was considered punishment, and the body of the dead was unclean. But now everything has been updated. Man was adopted by God and received incorruptibility as a gift. “Therefore we do not mourn the death of saints, but celebrate.” And the saints themselves are not dead: “after He who is Life itself and the Author of life was numbered among the dead, we no longer call those who rested in the hope of the resurrection and with faith in Him dead.” They are alive and stand before God with boldness. Damascene does not exhaust the question of writing and veneration of icons in his words. Not everything is completely clear to him. But later writers followed him. And the basic principles of the teaching about icons were already expressed by Damascene: icons are possible only by the power of the Incarnation, and icon painting is inextricably linked with the renewal and deification of human nature that took place in Christ; hence such a close connection between the veneration of icons and the veneration of saints, especially in their sacred and incorruptible remains. In other words, the doctrine of icons has a Christological basis and meaning. This was how it was before Damascus, and this is how his successors reasoned.
Clement O. ORIGINS. Theology of the Fathers Ancient Church. Texts and comments. Translation from French by G.V. Vdovina, edited by A.I. Kirlezheva. M.: Center for the Study of Religions, Publishing Company "Put", 1994.
World Encyclopedia: Mythology. Minsk: Modern writer, 2004. Pp. 348; Florovsky G.V. Eastern Fathers of the V-VIII centuries (from readings at the Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris). Paris, 1933. Additions. "HolyTrinityOrthodoxmission". Page 152.
Florovsky G., archpriest. Eastern Church Fathers IV-VIII centuries. / G. Florovsky. – Sergiev Posad, 1999. P. 248 – 249.
Meyendorff I., archpriest. Introduction to Patristic Theology. / I. Meyendorff. – Klin, 2001. Chapter of St. John of Damascus and the Orthodox defense of icon veneration.
Venerable John of Damascus. Three words of defense against those who condemn holy icons and images. – Sergiev Posad, 1993.
Lurie V. Lectures on iconoclasm. [Electronic resource]. - Electron, text, graph, sound. Dan. and application program (546 MB). Library Orthodox Christian. - 1 electron, opt. disk (CD-ROM). Andrey Lebedev's pages. h ttp:// www .akaka.al.ru
Kamlo P. John of Damascus - protector of holy icons. /P. Kamlo. - Symbol. – 1987. – No. 18. P. 62.
Andrey Lebedev's pages. Icon veneration. Published on h ttp:// www .akaka.al.ru
Venerable John of Damascus. The first word of defense against those who condemn the holy icons. Published at http://nesusvet. arod.ru/ico/books/dam1.htm
Venerable John of Damascus. The first word of defense against those who condemn the holy icons. Published at http://nesusvet. arod.ru/ico/books/dam1.htm
Venerable John of Damascus. The third word of defense against those who condemn holy icons. Published at http://nesusvet. arod.ru/ico/books/dam3.htm
See more about this: Bychkov V.V. The meaning of art in Byzantine culture. M., 1991, p. 46 ff.
Venerable John of Damascus. The first word of defense against those who condemn the holy icons. Published at http://nesusvet. arod.ru/ico/books/dam1.htm
Florovsky G., archpriest. Eastern Church Fathers IV-VIII centuries. / G. Florovsky. – Sergiev Posad, 1999. Chapter of St. John of Damascus.
Reverend John of Damascus was born in the capital of Syria, Damascus, from noble and pious parents, whose fiery faith in Christ, tested in sorrows and temptations, appeared stronger and more precious than gold that perishes, although tested by fire. Those were difficult times. The Saracens conquered that country and, having taken this glorious city, caused all sorts of troubles to Christians, killing some, selling others into slavery, and not allowing anyone to openly confess Christ. At this time, John's parents, covered by the Providence of God, were kept safe and healthy with all their property; They also observed the holy faith, for God gave them the opportunity to gain favor from the Saracens, as Joseph once did from the Egyptians and Daniel from the Babylonians, so that the evil Hagarites did not forbid the parents of the saint to believe in Christ and openly glorify His holy Name. In addition, they appointed Father Saint John as city judge and head of public buildings.
Living in such prosperity, he did a lot of good for his fellow believers: he ransomed prisoners, freed those in prison from shackles and delivered them from death, and gave a helping hand to all those who suffered. The saint's parents were in Damascus among the Hagarites, like lamps in the night, like a seed in Israel, like a spark in the ashes. For this reason they were preserved by God, so that through them the lamp of Christ, shining clearly throughout the whole world, would be kindled in the Church - Blessed John of Damascus. Having given birth to him according to the flesh, they hastened to make him a child of light through baptism, which was a very difficult matter at that time. The Hagarians did not allow anyone to be baptized, but the saint’s parents freely revived their child through baptism and gave him a name meaning the grace of God. The boy’s father took great care that he was brought up in good teaching and learned not Saracen customs, not military courage, not animal hunting, not any other worldly art, but meekness, humility, the fear of God and the knowledge of the Divine Scriptures. Therefore, he earnestly asked God to send his son a wise and pious man who would be a good teacher and mentor for the boy in good deeds. The saint’s parent was heard by God and received what he wanted in this way.
The Damascus robbers carried out frequent raids on both land and sea neighboring countries, captured Christians and, bringing them to their city, sold some in the markets, others were put to death. One day they happened to capture a certain monk named Cosmas, handsome in appearance and beautiful in soul, who came from Italy. Together with other captives, they decided to sell him at the market. Those whom the robbers wanted to behead with a sword, falling at the feet of this monk, with tears begged him to pray to God for their souls. Seeing what kind of respect was paid to the monk by those doomed to death, the Saracens asked him what rank and honor he enjoyed in his homeland among Christians. He answered:
I did not have any rank, I was not even awarded the priesthood; I am only a sinful monk, taught philosophy and not only Christian, but also that which the pagan sages invented!
Having said this, the monk wept bitterly. John's parent stood not far away, seeing the weeping old man and recognizing him by his clothes as a monk, he approached him and, wanting to console him in his sorrow, said:
In vain, man of God, do you cry over the loss of the world, which you long ago renounced and for which you died, as I see from your appearance and clothing.
“I cry,” the monk answered, “not for the loss of the world - for it, as you said, I died - and I do not care about anything worldly, knowing that there is another life - better, immortal and eternal, prepared for the servants of Christ, which I hope and I receive with the help of God; I cry because I am leaving this world childless, without leaving behind an heir.
John’s parent was amazed at the monk’s words and said:
Father, you are a monk who dedicated yourself to God to preserve purity, and not to give birth to children: why do you grieve for children?
The monk replied:
You do not understand, sir, what I said: I am not talking about a carnal son and not about an earthly inheritance, but about a spiritual one. I, as you can see, am a poor monk and have nothing, but I have a great wealth of wisdom, with which I have been enriched from a young age by working with God’s help. I have studied various human sciences: rhetoric, dialectics, philosophy, taught by the Stagirite and the son of Ariston, I know land surveying and music, I have well studied the movement of celestial bodies and the flow of stars, so that from the beauty of creation and its wise structure I can come to a clearer knowledge of the Creator Himself ; Finally, I have thoroughly studied the teaching on the mysteries of Orthodoxy compiled by Greek and Roman theologians. Having such knowledge myself, I have not taught it to anyone, and what I have learned, I cannot teach anyone now, for I have neither the time nor the student, and I think that here I will die from the sword of the Hagarians and appear before my Lord like a tree, which bears no fruit, like a slave who hid his master's talent in the ground. This is what I cry and sob about. Just as fathers according to the flesh grieve that while they are married they do not have children, so I grieve and grieve that I do not have a single spiritual son who would be the heir after me of my wealth of wisdom.
Hearing such words, the father of Saint John rejoiced that he had found the long-desired treasure, and said to the elder:
Do not be sad, father: God can fulfill the desire of your heart.
Having said this, he hastily went to the Saracen prince and, falling at his feet, earnestly asked to give him the captive monk and did not receive a refusal: the prince gave him this gift, which, indeed, was more precious than many other gifts. With joy, John's parent brought blessed Cosmas into his home and consoled him after long suffering, providing him with comfort and peace.
Father,” he said, “be the master of my house and a sharer in all my joys and sorrows.”
And he also added:
God not only gave you freedom, but also fulfilled your desire. I have two children: one is my son according to the flesh - John, and the other is a youth, adopted by me in place of my son, originally from Jerusalem, an orphan from childhood, he has the same name as you, for he is also called Cosmas. I pray you, father, teach them wisdom and good morals and guide them in every good deed, make them your spiritual sons, revive them and educate them in teaching, and leave them behind you as heirs of that spiritual wealth that no one can steal.
The blessed elder Cosmas rejoiced, glorified God and began to diligently educate and teach both youths. The youths were intelligent, mastered everything taught by the teacher and studied successfully. John, like an eagle soaring through the air, comprehended the lofty secrets of teaching, and his spiritual brother Cosmas, like a ship rushing quickly with a fair wind, soon comprehended the depth of wisdom. Studying diligently and diligently, they acquired wisdom in a short time, studied grammar, philosophy and arithmetic, and became like Pythagoras and Diophanes; They also studied land surveying, so that they could be recognized as new Euclids. The church hymns and poems they composed testify to how they improved in poetry. They did not abandon astronomy, and also studied theological mysteries well. In addition, they learned good morals and a virtuous life and became completely perfect in knowledge, spiritual and worldly wisdom. John was especially successful. The teacher himself was amazed at him, whom he surpassed in some areas of wisdom. And John was a great theologian, as evidenced by his divinely inspired and wise books. But he was not proud of his wisdom. Like a fruitful tree, the more fruit it grows, the lower its branches bow to the ground, so John, the more he advanced in wisdom, the less he thought about himself and knew how to tame the vain dreams of his youth and passionate thoughts, but his soul, like a lamp, filled with oil, kindle with the fire of Divine desire.
And one day the teacher Cosmas said to John’s father: “Your desire, sir, has come true: your youths have learned well, so that they already surpass me in wisdom; it is not enough for such students to be equal to their teacher.” Thanks to their great memory and incessant work, they perfectly comprehended the entire depth of wisdom; God increased their talent. I don’t need to teach them any further: they themselves are already capable of teaching others. Therefore, I beg you, sir, let me go to a monastery, where I myself will be a student and learn the highest wisdom from perfect monks. The worldly philosophy that I have learned sends me to spiritual philosophy, which is more worthy and purer than worldly philosophy, for it is beneficial and saves the soul.
Hearing this, John's father was saddened, not wanting to lose such a worthy and wise mentor. However, he did not dare to restrain the elder, so as not to sadden him, fulfilled his wish and, having generously rewarded him, sent him away in peace. The monk retired to the monastery of St. Sava and, having lived there safely until his death, went to the most perfect Wisdom - God. A few years later, John’s father also died. The Saracen prince, calling upon John, invited him to become his first adviser; John refused, having another desire - to work for God in silence. However, he was forced to obey and against his desire to accept the leadership and he received greater power in the city of Damascus than his father.
At that time, Leo the Isaurian reigned in Greece, who brutally, like a roaring lion, rebelled against the Church of God. Casting out icons from holy churches, he consigned them to flames, and mercilessly tormented Orthodox believers and those who worshiped holy icons with fierce torment. Hearing about this, John was inflamed with the zeal of piety, imitating Elijah the Thesbite and the Forerunner of Christ of the same name. Taking the sword of the Word of God, he began to cut off, as it were, the head, the heretical wisdom of the wicked king; he sent out many messages about the veneration of holy icons to those faithful who were known to him. In these messages, based on Holy Scripture and the ancient tradition of the God-bearing fathers, he wisely showed how to pay due veneration to the holy icons. John asked those to whom he wrote to show his message to other brothers of the same faith for their confirmation in Orthodoxy. Thus the saint strove to fill the entire universe with his divinely inspired messages. Spreading throughout the entire Greek kingdom, they confirmed the Orthodox in piety, and struck heretics as if with ashes. Rumors of this reached King Leo himself, who, unable to bear the exposure of his wickedness, called to himself like-minded heretics and commanded them to, adopting a false form of piety, find among the Orthodox some epistle of John, written by his own hand, and They asked me to read it as if for my own benefit. After many efforts, the accomplices of this evil plan found somewhere among the believers one letter, written by John’s own hand, and, having flatteringly begged, gave it into the hands of the king. The king instructed skilled scribes to, looking at John’s letter, write in the same letters on behalf of the holy message to him - King Leo, as if written by John’s own hand and sent from Damascus. The message was this:
Rejoice, king, and I rejoice in your power in the name of our common faith and render worship and due honor to your royal majesty. I inform you that our city of Damascus, which is in the hands of the Saracens, is poorly guarded and does not have a strong guard at all, the army in it is weak and small in number. I beg you, be merciful to this city, for God’s sake, send your brave army. Having shown that it intends to go to another place, it may accidentally attack Damascus, and then you will easily take the city into your possession, and I will help a lot in this, because the city and the whole country are in my hands.
Having written such a message to himself on behalf of John, the cunning king ordered him to write from himself to the Saracen prince like this:
There is nothing better, I think, than to have peace and be in friendship, for keeping peaceful promises is very commendable and kind to God; Therefore, I wish to keep the peace concluded with you honest and faithful to the end. However, a certain Christian living in your state, with his frequent messages to me, encourages me to break the peace and promises me to give the city of Damascus into my hands without difficulty if I unexpectedly send my army. I am sending you one of those messages that this Christian wrote - this will convince you of my friendship, and in the one who dares to write to me like that, you will see treason and enmity and you will know how to execute him.
The wicked King Leo sent these two letters with one of his confidants to Damascus to the prince of the Saracens. Having accepted and read them, the prince called John and showed him the false letter that was written to King Leo. John, reading and examining the letter, said:
The letters in this charter are somewhat similar to the writing of my hand, but it was not my hand that wrote this, for it never even occurred to me to write to the king of Greece; it cannot be that I served my master deceitfully.
John realized that this was the work of the enemy, evil, heretical cunning. But the prince, becoming enraged, ordered the right hand of the innocent John to be cut off. John earnestly asked the prince to wait and give him some time to clarify his innocence and the hatred that the evil heretical king Leo had for him, but he did not achieve what he asked. The greatly angry prince ordered the execution to be carried out immediately. And they cut off John’s right hand, the hand that strengthened the faithful in God; this hand, which denounced with its writings those who hated the Lord, instead of the ink with which it wrote about the veneration of icons, was dipped in its own blood. After the execution, John’s hand was hanged in the market, in the middle of the city, and John himself, exhausted from pain and loss of blood, was taken to his home. When evening came, learning that the prince’s anger had already passed, the blessed one sent him the following request:
My illness is increasing and tormenting me inexpressibly; I cannot have any consolation as long as my truncated arm hangs in the air; I pray you, my lord, command that my hand be given to me so that I can bury it in the ground, for I believe that if it is buried, I will receive relief from my illness.
The torturer heeded this request and ordered to remove his hand from public place and give it to John. Taking the truncated hand, John entered his prayer room and, falling to the ground in front of the holy icon of the Most Pure Mother of God, depicted with the Child of God in her arms, he put the severed hand to the joint and began to pray with tears and sighing coming from the depths of his heart:
To the Lady Most Pure Mother, who gave birth to My God, my right hand was cut off for the sake of Divine icons. You know what made Leo angry, so hurry to help and heal my hand. The Right Hand of the Most High, incarnate from You, performs many miracles for the sake of Your prayers, therefore I pray that He will heal my right hand through Your intercession. O Bogomati! Let this hand of mine write what You Yourself allow in praise of You and Your Son, and may it help the Orthodox faith with its writings. You can do everything if you want, because You are the Mother of God.
Saying this with tears, John fell asleep and saw in a dream the Most Pure Mother of God looking at him from the icon with bright and merciful eyes and saying:
Your hand is now healthy, do not grieve about the rest, but work hard with it, as you promised me, make it a cursive cane.
Waking up, John felt his hand and saw it healed. He rejoiced in spirit about God his Savior and His Immaculate Mother, that the Almighty had performed such a miracle over him. Rising and raising his hands to the sky, he offered thanks to God and the Mother of God. And he rejoiced all night with the whole house, singing a new song:
- "Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength"(Ex. 15:6); Thy right hand healed my truncated right hand and will crush the enemies who do not honor Thy Honest and Thy Most Pure Mother image, and will destroy with it, for the exaltation of Thy glory, the enemies who destroy icons.
When John rejoiced in this way with his family and sang songs of thanks, the neighbors heard this and, having learned about the reason for his joy and joy, were very surprised. The Saracen prince soon learned about this and, immediately calling John, ordered to show him the truncated hand. On the joint from which the hand was cut off, a sign remained like a red thread, formed by the will of the Mother of God, as an obvious indication of the former cutting off of the hand. Seeing this, the prince asked:
What doctor and with what medicine connected the hand so well to the joint and so quickly healed and revived it, as if it had not been cut off and dead?
John did not hide the miracle and publicly said about it:
My Lord, the Almighty Physician, having heard my fervent prayer through His Most Pure Mother, healed my wound with His Almighty power and made healthy the hand that you ordered to be cut off.
Then the prince exclaimed:
Woe is me! Without considering the slander, I unjustly condemned and innocently executed you, good man. I ask you, forgive us that we condemned you so quickly and unreasonably, accept from us your former rank and former honor and be our first adviser. From now on, nothing will happen in our state without you and your advice.
But John, falling at the prince’s feet, asked for a long time that he would let him go and not prevent him from following his Lord with those monks who denied themselves and took upon themselves the yoke of the Lord. The prince did not want to let him go, and he tried to convince John to remain the head of his house and the manager of his entire state. And there was a long dispute between them: one asked the other, one tried to defeat the other with a request. With difficulty, John achieved his goal: although not quickly, he nevertheless begged the prince, and he was given the freedom to do what he pleased.
Returning to his home, John immediately distributed his countless estates to those in need, set his slaves free, and he and his fellow disciple Cosmas went to Jerusalem. There, having bowed to the holy places, he came to the Lavra of St. Sava and began to beg the abbot to accept him, like a lost sheep, and introduce him to his chosen flock. The abbot and all the brethren recognized Saint John, because he was already in glory and everyone knew him, thanks to his power, honors and great wisdom. And the abbot rejoiced that such a person had come to humility and poverty and wanted to be a monk. Having received him with love, the abbot called on one of the brethren, the most experienced and one who had labored in ascetic deeds, wanting to entrust John to him as a leader, so that he could teach him both spiritual wisdom and monastic deeds. But he refused, not wanting to be the teacher of such a person, whose learning surpassed many. The abbot called another monk, but this one did not want to, and the third and fourth and all the others refused, each of them admitted that he was unworthy to be the mentor of such a wise man, in addition, everyone was embarrassed by John’s nobility. After all, one simple-minded, but reasonable old man was called; he did not refuse to be John's mentor. Having received John into his cell and wanting to lay in him the foundations of a virtuous life, the elder first of all gave him the following rules: that he should not do anything of his own free will; so that he would offer his labors and fervent prayers to God as a kind of sacrifice; so that he shed tears from his eyes if he wants to cleanse the sins of his past life, for this is more valuable before God than any expensive incense. These rules were the basis for those deeds that are performed by bodily labor. The elder laid down the following rules for what befits the soul: so that John should not have anything worldly in his mind; not only did he not imagine any indecent images in his imagination, but he would keep his mind inviolable and pure from all vain addiction and empty pride; so that he does not boast about his wisdom and what he has learned, and does not think that he can comprehend everything perfectly to the end; so that he does not seek any revelations or knowledge of hidden secrets; I would not have hoped for the rest of my life that his mind was unshakable and could not sin or fall into error; on the contrary, let him know that his thoughts are weak and his mind can sin, and therefore let him try not to allow his thoughts to be scattered and let him take care to concentrate them together, so that in this way his mind will be enlightened by God, his soul will be sanctified and his body will be cleansed from all filth; let his body and soul unite with the mind and become three in the image of the Holy Trinity, and man will become neither carnal nor spiritual, but spiritual in everything, changed by good will from the two parts of man - body and soul into the third and most important, that is, into the mind . Such a spiritual father prescribed statutes for his spiritual son and teacher for his disciple, adding the following words:
Not only do not write messages to anyone, but do not even talk about anything from secular sciences. Observe silence with reason, for you know that not only our philosophers teach silence, but Pythagoras also bequeathed long-term silence to his disciples, and do not think that speaking good things prematurely is a good thing. Listen to David who said: " was silent even about good things"(Ps. 39:3). What benefit did he get from this? - listen: " My heart was inflamed within me"(Ps. 38:4), i.e., by the fire of divine love, which was kindled in the prophet by thinking about God.
All these instructions of the elder went into the heart of John, like a seed on good soil, and having sprouted, it took root, for John, living for a long time with that God-inspired elder, carefully followed all his instructions and listened to his orders, obeying him unfeignedly, without contradiction or any grumbling; Even in his thoughts he never resisted the elder’s orders. This is what he wrote in his heart, as on tablets: “Every commandment of the father, according to the teaching of the apostles, must be fulfilled without anger and doubt” (cf. 1 Tim. 2:8). And what good will it be for someone who is in obedience to have deeds in his hands and grumbling in his mouth, to carry out orders, but to contradict with his tongue or mind, and when will such a person be perfect? Never. In vain such people work and think that they live virtuously; combining obedience with murmuring, they carry a serpent in their depths.
Blessed John, as a true novice, was uncomplaining in all the services commanded to him.
One day the elder, wanting to test John’s obedience and humility, collected many baskets, the weaving of which was their occupation, and said to John:
I heard, child, that in Damascus baskets are sold more expensive than in Palestine, but we lack many essentials in our cells, as you can see for yourself. So, take these baskets, go quickly to Damascus and sell them there. But be careful not to sell them for less than the stated price.
And the elder set a price for the baskets much higher than they were worth. The true novice did not contradict either in word or in mind, did not say that those baskets were not worth the price assigned and that the road was very long; did not even think that he was ashamed to go to that city where everyone knew him and where he was previously known to everyone for his power; He did not say or think anything like that, showing himself to be an imitator of the Master Christ, submissive to death.
Having said: “Bless, father,” and having accepted the blessing from his spiritual father, John immediately took the baskets on his shoulders and hurried to Damascus. Dressed in torn clothes, John walked around the city and sold his baskets in the market. Those who wanted to buy those baskets asked how much they were being sold, and, having learned their high price, scolded and laughed, insulted and reproached John. The blessed one’s acquaintances did not recognize him, because he, who had once worn gold-woven clothes, was dressed in the rags of beggars, his face had changed from fasting, his cheeks had dried out and his beauty had faded. But one citizen, who had once been John’s servant, peered carefully into his face, recognized the saint and was surprised at his beggarly appearance. Taking pity and sighing from his heart, he approached John as if he were a stranger, and gave him the price assigned to the saints for all the baskets - not because he needed the baskets, but out of pity for such a man, who from great fame and wealth I came, for God’s sake, into such humility and poverty. Having taken payment for the baskets, John returned to the one who had sent him, like some conqueror from a war who, through obedience and humility, had cast down to earth the enemy the devil, and with him pride and vain glory.
After some time, one monk of that monastery died. His brother, left alone after the death, cried inconsolably for him. John consoled him for a long time, but could not console his infinitely distressed and saddened brother. With tears, he began to ask John to write some kind of touching funeral song for him to console and ease his sadness. John refused, fearing to break the commandment of the elder, who ordered him not to do anything without his command. But the lamenting brother did not cease to pray to John, saying:
Why don’t you have mercy on my sorrowful soul and give me at least a small cure for my great heart disease? If you were a physical doctor and some physical illness happened to me, and I asked you to treat me, would you really, having the opportunity to heal, reject me, and I would die from that illness? Would you not give an answer to God for me, because you could have helped me and refused? Now I suffer more from heart disease and seek the least help from you, but you neglect me. And if I die of sadness, won’t you give a big answer to God for me? If you are afraid of the elder’s orders, then I will hide what you wrote in such a way that your elder will not know or hear about it.
John finally bowed to such speeches and wrote the following funeral troparia:
- “What is this worldly sweetness”, “all human vanity”, “people who are troubled in vain”, and others, which to this day are sung in church during funeral services for the dead.
One day, when the elder left his cell somewhere, John, sitting in it, sang the troparia he had composed. After some time, the elder returned and, approaching the cell, heard John singing. Immediately he hurriedly entered the cell and began to say to him with anger:
Why did you so quickly forget your promises and, instead of crying, rejoice and have fun, humming some songs to yourself?
John told the reason for his singing and, explaining that he was forced by his brother’s tears to write songs, began to ask the elder for forgiveness, falling on his face to the ground. However, the elder, as inexorable as a hard stone, immediately excommunicated the blessed one from his cohabitation and kicked him out of his cell. The expelled John remembered the expulsion of Adam from paradise, which happened for disobedience, and wept bitterly in front of the elder’s cell, as Adam had once done before paradise. After this, he went to other fathers, whom he recognized as perfect in virtue, and prayed for them to go to the elder and beg him to forgive him for his sin. They went and prayed to the elder to forgive his disciple and accept him into his cell, but he remained adamant to their requests. One of the fathers told him:
Impose penance on the sinner, but do not excommunicate him from cohabitation with you.
The elder said:
This is the penance I impose on him if he wants to receive forgiveness for his disobedience: let him cleanse with his own hands the passages of all the cells and wash all the stinking places in the laurel.
The fathers were ashamed of such words and left in embarrassment, marveling at the cruel and unyielding disposition of the elder. Having met them and bowed as usual, John asked what their father had told them. Having told about the elder’s cruelty, they did not dare to say about what the elder had assigned him for testing; they were ashamed to report such commands from the elder. But John persistently asked them to tell him what his father had assigned him, and, having learned, he rejoiced beyond their expectations, willingly accepting the task assigned to him, although it aroused shame. Having immediately prepared the vessels and tools for cleaning, he began to fulfill the command with zeal, touching the uncleanness with those hands that he had previously anointed with various aromas, and desecrating with uncleanness that right hand, which was miraculously healed by the Most Pure Mother of God. O deep humility of a wonderful husband and true novice! The elder was touched when he saw such humility of John, and, coming to him, embraced him and kissed his head, shoulders and hands, saying:
Oh, what kind of sufferer for Christ have I made? Here is the true son of blessed obedience!
John, ashamed of the elder’s words, fell prostrate before him as before God, and, not being exalted by his father’s praiseworthy speeches, but even more humbled, prayed that he would forgive his sin. Taking John by the hand, the elder led him into his cell. John was so happy about this, as if paradise had been returned to him, and he lived with the elder in the same harmony.
After a little time, the Lady of the world, the Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin, appeared to the elder in a night vision and said:
Why did you block a spring that could flow sweet and abundant water - water that is better than that flowing from a stone in the desert - the water that David wanted to drink - the water that Christ promised to the Samaritan woman? Do not prevent the source from flowing: it will flow abundantly, and will flow and water the entire universe, cover the seas of heresies and transform them into wonderful sweetness. Let those who are thirsty strive for this water, and let those who do not have the silver of a pure life sell their passions and, by imitation of the virtue of John, let them acquire purity from it in dogmas and in deeds. He will take the harp of the prophets, the psalter of David, sing new songs to the Lord God and surpass Moses and the songs of Miriam. Nothing compared to it are the useless songs of Orpheus, which are narrated in fables; he will sing a spiritual heavenly song and imitate the cherubic chants. He will make all the churches of Jerusalem as if they were young women playing on tympanums, so that they would sing to the Lord, proclaiming the death and resurrection of Christ; he will write the dogmas of the Orthodox faith and expose heretical false teachings: " A good word poured out from my heart; I say: my song is about the King" (Ps. 44:2).
The next morning the elder called John and said to him:
O child of the obedience of Christ! Open your mouth to attract the spirit, and what you have perceived in your heart, say with your lips; let them speak of the wisdom which you have learned by meditating on God. Open your mouth not to stories, but to words of truth, and not to fortune-telling, but to dogmas. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, which contemplates God, i.e. to a peaceful church; speak not empty words thrown into the air, but those that the Holy Spirit has written on your heart. Ascend to the high Sinai of the Vision of God and the revelation of Divine mysteries, and for your great humility, through which you have descended to the last depth, now ascend to the church mountain and preach, bringing the good news to Jerusalem. Raise your voice strongly, for the Mother of God told me many wonderful things about you. I pray you forgive me for being an obstacle to you due to my rudeness and ignorance.
From that time on, Blessed John began to write divine books and compose sweet-sounding chants. He composed an octo of them, with which, like a spiritual flute, he amuses the Church of God to this day. John began his first book with these words: “Your commanding right hand was gloriously glorified in the fortress.”
Regarding the miraculous healing of his right hand, he, in a rapture of joy, cried out to the Mother of God: “Every creature rejoices in you, O Blessed One.”
John, in remembrance of the wondrous miracle of the Most Pure Mother of God, wore the cloth with which his severed hand was entwined on his head. He also wrote the lives of some saints, composed holiday words and various touching prayers, expounded the dogmas of faith and many sacraments of Theology; He also wrote against heretics, especially against iconoclasts; He also composed other spiritually beneficial works, which to this day the faithful feed on as spiritual food, and from which they drink like from a sweet stream.
St. John was encouraged to such labors by Blessed Cosmas, who grew up with him and studied with the same teacher. He encouraged him to write Divine books and compose church songs and helped him himself. Subsequently, Cosmas was installed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem as Bishop of Mayum. After this, the same patriarch, calling the Monk John, ordained him as a presbyter. But John did not want to remain in the world for long. Shying from worldly glory, he returned to the monastery of the Monk Sava and, secluded in his cell, like a bird in a nest, diligently occupied himself with writing Divine books and the work of his salvation. Having collected all the books he had previously written, John read them again and carefully corrected in them what he considered necessary to correct, especially in words and speeches, so that nothing in them remained unclear. In such labors, useful for himself and important for the Church of Christ, and in monastic exploits, John spent a lot of time and achieved perfect monasticism and holiness. Having pleased God, he went to Christ and His Most Pure Mother, and now, worshiping Them not in icons, but contemplating Their Faces in heavenly glory, he prays for us, so that we too may be worthy of the same Divine contemplation, through His holy prayers and the grace of Christ, to Him and with His Most Blessed and Most Blessed Mother may there be honor, glory and worship forever. Amen.
Troparion, tone 8:
Teacher of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, lamp of the universe, God-inspired fertilizer for the monastics, John the Wise, with your teachings you have enlightened everything, O spiritual woman. Pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4:
Let us sing to the hymn-writer and honest blasphemer, to the church as a punisher and teacher, and to the enemies of the opponent John: for we take up the weapon, the Cross of the Lord, reflect all the charm of heresies, and as a warm intercessor to God, grants forgiveness of sins to all. 
1 Damascus is the main, richest trading city of Syria, one of the oldest in the whole world; lies northeast of Palestine, with the Barada River flowing through it, in a beautiful and fertile plain, at the eastern base of Anti-Lebanon. And now Damascus, part of the Turkish Empire, is one of the richest cities in Asia, with a population of over 150,000 people. residents.
2 St. John of Damascus was born around 680. His family name was Mansur.
3 Gen 41:37.
5 Hagarians or otherwise Saracens are Arabian Bedouins. The name Hagaryans, which originally meant this nomadic tribe, was subsequently extended by Christian writers to all Arabs, and then began to mean Muslims in general. The Arabian Bedouins were called Hagarians because, according to Jewish tradition, they were descendants of Ishmael, the son of Hagar, Abraham's servant.
6 Father St. John of Damascus, Sergius Mansur, corrected under the caliph of Damascus Abd-Almalik (686-705) the position of chief logothete, i.e. treasury manager, treasurer.
7 John, translated from Hebrew, means: God's grace.
8 Stagira is a city on the Chalcedonian Peninsula, where the Greek philosopher Aristotle (IV century BC) was born, therefore called Stagirite. The Greek philosopher Platanus (IV century BC) is named here as the son of Ariston. Philosophy is a science that studies the highest questions of existence, about God, about the beginning, essence and laws of the world and man, about the purpose of man and the ultimate goals of the existence of the world, etc. Rhetoric and dialectics are sciences that study the laws of thinking and ways of expressing them.
9 Gospel expression from the parable of the talents. Matt. 25:16.
10 Pythagoras - famous Greek philosopher of the 6th century. BC; Diophanes - Alexandrian mathematician of the 4th century. according to R.H.
11 Euclid - mathematician of the 3rd century. BC
12 Reverend Savva, so-called. “The Sanctified One,” the great hermit of Palestine (his memory is celebrated on December 5), a disciple and associate of Saints Euthymius and Theodosius the Great, subsequently asceticised in solitude in the desert near Jerusalem, where in 484 he founded a monastery 12 versts from Jerusalem, later known as the Lavra Savva the Sanctified.
13 The highest authority at the court of St. John of Damascus reached under the caliph Velid (705-716), for whom he was the closest adviser and minister. But, having accepted the responsibilities of the new title, he never forgot his highest service - Jesus Christ and always tried to be faithful to the truth of Christ and useful to the Holy Church. Proclaiming the truth of Christ and exposing false teachings became the main work of life for John. And he, from the very first days of his activity, came out to fight the heretics of that time: the Nestorians, who enjoyed patronage in Syria, who separated the human and divine nature in Jesus Christ and taught that the man Jesus was born from the Virgin Mary, with whom, from the moment of conception Him, God the Word united by His grace and dwelt in Him, as in a temple, and with the Monophysites or Jacobites, who recognized in Christ one divine nature, which supposedly absorbed the human nature in Him. Against the latter, John of Damascus wrote a rather lengthy, thorough essay in defense of the pure, Orthodox faith. In addition, he fought against Monothelitism, which had degenerated from Monophysitism, which recognized in Christ only the Divine will, and against the remnants of the ancient Gnostic teachings, combined with the false teachings of the Manichaeans - with the heresy of the so-called. The "Paulicians" recognized, in addition to the good God, who created the pure spirit and was revealed in Christianity, an evil principle - the Dimiurge, who created the visible world and the human body and was revealed in Judaism and paganism. The incarnation of the Son of God, according to the teachings of the Paulicians, was only apparent: they denied all the rituals and external institutions of the church. Finally. John of Damascus also wrote an apologia against Mohammedanism, which at that time dominated in Syria.
14 Leo the Isaurian reigned in the Byzantine Empire from 716 to 741.
15 St. John of Damascus wrote an essay in defense of St. icons and sent him to Constantinople, where, among other things, he wrote: “Conscious of my unworthiness, without a doubt I should remain silent and only mourn my sins before God, but seeing that the Church of God is agitated by a cruel storm, I think that now is not the time to remain silent “I fear God more than the earthly sovereign, yet the power of the sovereign is so great that it can easily captivate the people.” But what is offensive in this work towards the Emperor Leo is St. John didn't say anything. At the request of his friends, John wrote one after another two letters in defense of St. icons The epistles of John were read with thirst in Constantinople and in other places; the weak were supported by them in Orthodoxy, and the strong were strengthened in strength.
16 Osten, ostna, osn - a pointed cane used to encourage donkeys and oxen to walk faster.
17 Damascene’s fellow student and friend Cosmas, later Bishop of Mayum, one of the greatest hymn writers of the Eastern Orthodox Church. His memory is celebrated by the church on October 12.
18 According to the statute of St. Savva the Sanctified, each newcomer was entrusted for testing, supervision and admonition to an elder experienced in spiritual life. This is what they did with John, despite the fact that his pious life and extensive learning were known throughout the East.
19 Tablets - stone tablets that were used in ancient times for writing; The ten commandments of God's law were inscribed on the tablets at Sinai. In a figurative sense, the tablets mean the human heart.
20 These are, for example, “Where there is worldly passion”, “I have mentioned the prophets crying: I am earth and ashes”, “I weep and weep”, and others, the so-called “self-agreed”. All of them are distinguished by their extraordinary touchingness; naturally and with force, at the grave of the sons of Adam, they depict the fate of the son of dust and the vanity and corruption of everything earthly, and touching prayers are raised to God for the repose of the deceased. All of them were included in the burial of the dead and are used in the Orthodox Church to this day.
21 Penance, from Greek, means: retribution, punishment, prohibition. Penance was established in the church for penitents in ancient times and is based on the words of St. Paul, who, giving the Corinthians advice or rule (canon) to forgive the sins of a repentant and accept him into their fellowship, says that the prohibition (epitimia) is enough for him - and adds that if they accept him into their love, then he too. In the breviary, penance is called the “canon (rule) of satisfaction.” Thus, according to the instructions of the Apostle, penance consists in prohibiting the sinner from having fellowship with the church for a time, which is why it is a punishment. But at the same time, it does not mean punitive measures, deprivation of the rights of a church member; it is only “spiritual medicine.” In the language of church canons, penance means the voluntary performance by the confessor, as prescribed by the confessor, of certain works of piety (prolonged prayer, alms, intense fasting, pilgrimage, etc.).
22 Number 20:11. It speaks of the water miraculously brought out of the rock by Moses with the blow of his staff.
23 2 Sam. 23:15.
24 Jn. 4:14. The Lord promised the Samaritan woman living water flowing into eternal life, i.e. the grace of the Holy Spirit.
25 Ref. 20. As is known, the hymns of Moses and Miriam after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea were included in many hymns of John of Damascus and, by the way, served as the basis for the 1st song of the canons.
26 Orpheus - singer - hero Greek myths, the power of whose singing was so great that he set trees and rocks in motion and tamed wild animals.
27 1st Irmos of the 1st tone in the Octoechos. Octoechos was one of the first works of song by St. John of Damascus. According to Patriarch John of Jerusalem, St. Damascene, unshakable confessor and sufferer for the veneration of St. The icon, inspired by the miraculous healing of his hand, cut off by the enemies of the faith, sang this solemn song: “Your commanding right hand was gloriously glorified in the fortress,” which was based on the victorious, grateful song of Moses during the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, after which ranks of others followed sacred songs that made up the octoich, or osmoglasnik (Sunday services divided into 8 voices), the appearance of which produced a change in the entire composition of the church service. Even during the life of St. Damascene's octoi were received throughout the east, and after a while they moved to the west; Subsequently, the octoich was multiplied by the hymns of other Christian hymns, but even in the present form of services on Sundays, the main composition belongs to St. John of Damascus. The Octoechos contains a service for each day of the week, performed according to one of the eight voices or chants, the rites of Vespers, Compline, Matins and Liturgy for weekdays, and for Sundays, in addition, Little Vespers and Midnight Office. The singing of the Octoechos begins on weekdays after the Sunday (week) of All Saints and ends before the Saturday of the Week of the Meat; on Sundays it begins on the Sunday following the week of All Saints and continues until the 6th week of Lent. The octane is not used during worship, except for the indicated intervals, even on the twelfth holidays and on their forefeasts, which occur on weekdays. Octoechos gave the church service greater certainty and uniformity. Having imparted to church singing the correct uniformity and feelings worthy of Christian service, St. Damascene thereby put an obstacle to the disorder that had prevailed in church singing before him with his octoechus. Of the many different melodies, he chose for church hymns mainly those that are capable of expressing feelings suitable for Christians, and did not use those that could arouse feelings incompatible with the importance of Christianity. He limited himself to seven voices so that those praying would not be distracted by the variety and frequent changes of tunes, and so that a certain number of melodies, keeping attention on worthy and collectively understood tunes for each, would arouse certain and worthy qualities and affirm the spirit and content of the chanted prayers in the general attention. The same definiteness of the melodies put an end to the arbitrary inventions of refined, scattered, irreverent art, and the simplicity of the melodies of the osmoglasnik, expressing the humble simplicity of Christian prayer, disposes the soul to the same prayer and, snatching it from the noise of vanity, as if lifts it to the throne of God. At the same time, the eight voices seem to indicate the eight voices of the heavenly hierarchy, constantly glorifying God: the Mother of God, angels, prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, saints and righteous, and therefore the singing of the Octoechos can spiritually and mysteriously signify the "non-silent prayer singing of in the likeness of the saints, eternally rejoicing in heaven before the throne of God.The musical signs of the octoechus of St. John of Damascus were hooked.
28 Subsequently, this solemn song in honor and glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos became part of the liturgy of Basil the Great as a tribute. Among other numerous hymns of St. John of Damascus, in general, he composed especially many hymns in honor of the Mother of God, under whose special grace-filled protection and intercession he was. These are, for example, his canons for the Annunciation, Dormition, Nativity of the Virgin Mary, “Open the doors of Mercy to us,” “Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Thy Son,” “I place all my hope in Thee,” and others. In general, as a church hymnist, Damascene is higher than in all other respects, and is positively inimitable, which is why he is called “Gold-streamed” for his chants, and this name completely belongs to him: all his chants deserve to be called exemplary songs; in all of them one can see the remarkable animation characteristic of a high singer. Of the 64 canons he compiled, the most sublime, solemn and joyful is the canon on St. Easter. St. John of Damascus composed the entire Easter service, after which in the examples of human creativity it is impossible to find another song more full of feelings that are as alive as they are lofty, with holy and truly unearthly delights. The canons for the Nativity of Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of the Lord with stichera are approaching Easter. His Sunday services are as excellent in poetic power as in their dogmatic content. Damascus wrote a beautiful troparion: “We worship Your Most Pure Image, O Good One.” His antiphons and funeral songs are also remarkable - exemplary and touching songs of a repentant soul. Damascene composed many stichera and other church hymns. In general, Damascene is such a hymn-writer, the greater of whom has never been seen in the church before or since.
29 In addition to his chants, St. John of Damascus became famous for his theological writings, which give him an honorable place among the great fathers of the church. A thorough study of the philosophy of the Greek scientist Aristotle formed him into a distinct thinker, precise in his concepts and words. St. John was the first of the church fathers to set out in a harmonious, systematic order the theological teaching of the Orthodox Church, which is his inalienable glory. In his writings, Damascene is a dogmatist and polemicist, historian and philosopher, orator and church poet. He gave his three most important works: dialectics, a book on heresies and an exposition of faith, completely different in subject matter, one common name - “The Source of Knowledge.” The most important of them is the “Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” which constitutes a harmoniously and consistently presented systematic teaching about the contemplative truths of Revelation, which served as a model for Eastern and Western theologians. In addition, in the same strict order, St. John wrote “Sacred Parallels” - a comparison of the sayings of Holy Scripture about the rules of faith and piety with the sayings of the fathers and teachers of the church; subjects here are arranged alphabetically in order to be closer to general understanding; "Guide" - an explanation of the most important theological expressions, the misunderstanding of which in ancient times was the cause of heresies; several small works on dogmatics: “On Correct Thinking” - with an explanation of the teachings of the six ecumenical councils; “On the Holy Trinity”, “On the Image of God in Man”, “On the Nature of Man” and so on. Between the works of St. John against heretics, the first place is occupied by his three words against those who condemn the icon; He also owns an apology against the Mohammedans and writings against the Nestorians, Monophysites, Monothelites and Manichaeans. Next, we should note brief interpretations of the Epistles of St. Paul, an extensive memoir of St. Martyr Artemia and his sermons, for example on the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Nativity and Dormition of the Mother of God, the Word about those who have fallen asleep in the faith, the instruction on the eight evil thoughts, etc. Finally, Damascene rendered an important service to the rite of worship, revising and supplementing the Jerusalem Rule, compiled by the Venerable. Savva the Sanctified, and having compiled the months.
30 Saint John of Damascus died around 777, 104 years old, and was buried in the Lavra of Saint Sava near the shrine of St. founder of the Lavra. Under the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282-1328), St. his relics were transferred to Constantinople.
In the middle of the Syrian desert at the foot of Mount Hermon there is a fertile valley irrigated by mountain streams, and in the middle of it, like an oasis, is a beautiful city. Damascus. Magnificent palaces, luxurious houses, fountains and swimming pools. Surrounded by white stone walls Orthodox churches and Muslim mosques. Truly the “Pearl of the East”.
In this main city of Syria was born a nobleman and ascetic monk, a great writer and a wonderful poet, a learned theologian and polemicist philosopher, greatest man of his (eighth) century and the entire Christian era - St. John of Damascus. Millions of Christians listen to it, read it and sing it every day: evening prayer, prayer for Holy Communion, Easter service, funeral stichera, and more than sixty canons. And also theological works...
Useful materials
He lived an amazing life, filled with labors and miracles; his living artistic image more than once fell under the pen of talented writers, poets and screenwriters. Let's try too, with God's help and without claims to genius, retell the wonderful story about him.
Biography
The 7th century is approaching the end. A time of fierce confrontation between two empires: the Arab Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire. The pious husband Sergius ibn Mansur regularly serves under the Caliph of Damascus; he occupies the high position of chief treasurer (logophete).
He is a Christian, so he uses all his influence at court in the interests of Orthodox Church. His ancient family is noble, his ancestors are famous for their civic and Christian virtues. His house is abundant, because he always willingly shares his property with his fellow believers.
Childhood
But the heart of the respectable husband is filled with sadness, for he and his wife are no longer young in years, and the Lord has not blessed them with children. From a trip to Jerusalem, where Sergius went to venerate the Holy Sepulcher, he returns with a baby. The couple decided to raise the orphan boy as their son, and two years later (in 680 AD) God sent them their own child. Mansur ibn Serjun at-Taghlibi (the future Venerable John of Damascus) was raised together with his half-brother according to pious Christian traditions.
And their father's love for charity will one day be worthy of reward. At the slave market, which he visits monthly in order to ransom and free at least one captive Christian, he acquires something that will later bring joy to his parent’s heart.
A Christian monk named Cosmas, captured into slavery by sea robbers, finds freedom on that happy day, and the beloved sons of the caliph's logothete become a good teacher and wise mentor. The pious monk tries to pass on all his knowledge to his students, and the students, thanks to their diligence, succeed in learning so much that one day the teacher must admit: “I have nothing more to teach you.”
But the happiest years - carefree adolescence, unfortunately, quickly pass: the dear teacher and beloved father leave the young man. John's half-brother chooses the monastic path and goes to asceticism in a monastery in the Holy Land. Oh, how the heart of young John yearns for the same thing, but the only heir and obedient son of his parents is forced to take a high position in the caliph’s palace: he becomes the ruler’s closest adviser.
Although he reluctantly accepts the high title, he serves diligently and conscientiously, while trying to be useful to the holy Church of Christ. He considers it his main duty to proclaim the truth and expose lies:
“I should not leave the talent of words entrusted to me by God useless,”
– the reverend writes in one of his works.
He gets to serve as a pen at a time when the Orthodox Church of the East has a huge number of heterodox enemies: in addition to hostile Mohammedans, the country is being torn apart by sectarians and heretics, and in the person of the Byzantine emperor Leo the Isaurian new trouble– iconoclasm. The Byzantine ruler who came to power hastens to declare: “The veneration of icons is idolatry.”
This becomes a reason for persecution of Christians, who from time immemorial have venerated holy images. When icons began to be publicly destroyed, and as a result of clashes, Christian blood was shed, and rumors spread far beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, reaching Syria, the Damascus Chrysostom did not remain silent. Like a purist Orthodox teaching he writes several appeals to Christians, which are distributed among the inhabitants of Constantinople and have great success. He also addresses the emperor himself:
“You do not worship an image, and do not worship the Son of God, who is the living image of the invisible God and the unchanging image,”
- Having read the parchment with such a message, the Byzantine basileus becomes furious.
He cannot leave the daring accuser without revenge. But how to get to a subject of another country living at the court of the Mohammedan sovereign? Cunning and slander are the weapons of all palace intrigues and in this case they turn out to be very useful. Lev notifies the caliph in writing that his closest adviser is offering him his assistance in capturing Damascus, and encloses a skillfully forged letter as proof.
Icon "Three-handed"
The expectation that the temperamental and quick to kill caliph would not forgive betrayal was justified. The right hand of an imaginary criminal is publicly cut off in the palace square. When the caliph's anger has subsided, the former first adviser receives his own hand for burial. In his house, in front of the icon of the Mother of God, John mournfully mourns his injury.
It’s already deep after midnight, but he doesn’t leave everything to his own. Finally, fatigue gets the better of him, and he falls into a restless sleep, kneeling before the icon. And the Most Holy Mother of God looks at him from the icon with merciful and full of love eyes. Of course, She heard the pleas of the innocent sufferer.
“I hear all my children calling on my name with faith in my Son. Your hand is now healthy, do not grieve about the rest, but work hard with it, as you promised me; make it a scribbler's reed."
In the morning, shaking off the remnants of a disturbing dream, John carefully moved his index finger - sharp pain pierced his entire body, he realized that he was healed! And only a small scar remained as a reminder of the cutting off. From a grateful heart flowed a song of praise:
“Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength; Your right hand healed the truncated right hand, which will now crush enemies...” And a new hymn in honor of the Mother of God: “Blessed One, every creature, the angelic council and the human race rejoice in You!...”
The caliph, miraculously brought to his senses, realizes that his first minister turned out to be an innocent victim of blatant slander. No matter how hard it was for the powerful ruler to admit his guilt, he still asks for forgiveness from John and hurries to reinstate him in his position with the return of all palace honors.
But John now knows for sure - he has a different path, the miracle that happened is a call to monastic deeds. He, having thanked the caliph, renounces his position, and, having distributed a huge estate, gets ready to go: to the Lavra of St. Sava, in Jerusalem. But before this, in memory of the miraculous healing, at his order, a copy of the brush is made from silver, which is reverently attached to the icon of the Mother of God, in front of which the monk prayed so fervently.
Interesting fact
The miraculous icon with a silver brush is now kept in the Hilandar Athos Monastery, and is called “Three-Handed”.
Our Lady of Three Hands
XIV century
94 × 67 cm
Hilandar Monastery, Mount Athos
Back - St. Nicholas.
In the monastery
At dawn, John left his hometown. He had to travel on foot through Lebanon and Palestine to the Holy City of Jerusalem. It was joyful to walk; a new feeling—a feeling of complete freedom—came over him.
He walked and dreamed of how he would come to the famous Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified. How the brethren will greet him. How there, far from the bustle, he will write selflessly. His creations will eradicate error and heresy and help people find the truth. And these creative plans made my soul happy.
But his plans were not destined to come true. According to the monastic rules, each newcomer is entrusted for supervision and admonition to an elder experienced in spiritual life. John stood before such an old man with his head bowed.
The meaning of what the elder said did not immediately dawn on him. And when he got there, the earth disappeared from under his feet, and the light in his eyes dimmed.
“No praises or essays,” he echoed, “tell me, honest father, for how long are you giving me this rule?”
“For the rest of my life,” came the answer, and the novice sank to his knees in helplessness. He wanted to say that this was beyond his strength, that this vow was the same as death, but a spasm squeezed his throat.
“You must die for the world,” the elder answered his thoughts; he was adamant.
“As you said, so be it,” John finally said.
The first year he easily coped with obedience, and it seemed that he had already completely resigned himself to his fate. And at this time, in the depths of his soul, unceasing monastic prayer melted the poetic gift with reverent feelings. Only once, before Holy Communion, a prayer flowed spontaneously from his lips:
“I stand before the doors of Your temple and do not retreat from evil thoughts...”
The elder listened attentively, and then looked sternly at his student. .. The look was enough. Humility and obedience are the rules of monastic life. For the sake of this rule, he went with baskets to his native Damascus, where, standing in the shopping arcades, he called an unheard-of high price for them, accepting ridicule and spitting from buyers.
But one day he disobeyed his spiritual mentor. That day the elder was away, and John said a prayer, weaving a basket at the threshold of his cell. The young monk found him doing just that. Kneeling down before John, he told about his grief, he said that his brother had died and grief was tearing his heart apart, and asked for consolation in the form of prayer, in which John was so skilled. Seeing that grief had driven his brother in despair into despair, the monk could not refuse the requests, he wrote those touching hymns that are still sung at funerals.
Venerable John of Damascus
Bogatenko Yakov Alekseevich (1880–1941)
1905
Wood, tempera
18 × 14.5 cm
Museum of Musical Culture
named after M. I. Glinka, Moscow, Russia
The old mentor, hearing the singing, was upset, and John was expelled from his cell for self-will and disobedience. With his head humbly bowed, the novice stood on his knees all night before closed door his leader. Only at the request of the abbot of the Lavra, the elder replaced the excommunication with penance... What a thing! The culprit must clean out all the impurities with his own hands, only after that the mentor was ready to cancel his decision.
And the guilty one, without any embarrassment, happily takes the bucket and shovel into his hands, and should immediately carry out the command. Then the mentor became convinced that his efforts were not in vain: the student, having overlooked his pride, rejected himself.
And some time later, the Queen of Heaven herself stood up for her chosen one, appearing in a dream to the strict old man. Enlightened by such a vision, John himself begs to open his lips sealed with silence:
- Let everyone hear your sweet-sounding verbs. From now on, I bless you to raise your voice strongly.
- Christ is Risen! - the student exclaimed, despite the fact that Easter time had long expired. And a touching Easter song poured out in the middle of summer:
“Yesterday I was buried with You, Christ, and today I rise with You, risen, yesterday still crucified...!
The novice was able to understand that without the harsh school of humility, God hardly needed his praises. Soon John took monastic vows and was enrolled in the monastery brethren. From then on, there were no hindrances to creativity: freed from the impressions of the world, he plunged into the world of his soul. Here, within the walls of the monastery, the monk created everything that delights the ears to this day of all those who rush to the temple of God.
“Your chants, John, will be listened to by simpletons like me, and everything will be clear to them,” the elder used to say, listening to another composition of his student.
Death and Memorial Day
The year of the saint’s death is unknown, it is only known that John survived the year 754 and died earlier than 787, therefore, the saint reposed in the Lord, having reached his eighties. He was buried in the Lavra of St. Savva. The memory is celebrated by the Church on December 17.
Proceedings
At the time when the monk lived in Damascus, he often observed the following picture: in order to attract Christians to Mohammedanism, or perhaps simply to mock the Orthodox, the Mohammedans asked questions to which even educated believers could not find answers. John wrote down “The Conversation of a Christian with a Saracen” as a guide to a dignified way out of any dispute.
Bishop Cosmas of Mayum asked the monk to consistently expound the dogmas of the Orthodox faith. John did not immediately decide on this matter, but as a result, the world saw the most important of his works: “An accurate exposition of the Orthodox faith.” St. John’s pen also includes the trilogy-treatise “The Source of Knowledge” and the book “Three words of defense against those who condemn holy icons.”
Saints John Climacus, John of Damascus and Arsenios the Great
Double Sided Pill Icon
Second half of the 16th century.
Canvas, tempera.
25 × 20.2 cm
Vladimir-Suzdal Historical and Artistic Institute
and architectural museum-reserve, Vladimir, Russia
Inv. B-6300/116
Part of a series of double-sided saint icons,
originating from the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Suzdal.
Verso - “The Raising of Lazarus.”
What do they pray to the saint for?
- about healing;
- in difficult life situations;
- about the ability to freely and correctly express one’s thoughts (“about the gift of speech”)
The image of John of Damascus is recognizable - icon painters paint him wearing a turban, so you can easily find his icon in the temple. He lived in a different century in a different country, but that doesn't matter. Time, boundaries and languages are just conventions, you will definitely feel a spiritual connection with this greatest saint through his works, just as the author of these lines felt closeness and joy of communication when writing about him.
Troparion, kontakion, magnification
Troparion, voice 8th:
In you, father, it is known that you were saved in the image: accept the Cross, you followed Christ, and you taught in action to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but the things of the soul are immortal. In the same way, O Reverend John, your spirit rejoices with the angels. Another troparion, tone 8: Teacher of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, lamp of the universe, God-inspired fertilization for the monastics, John the Wise, with your teachings you have enlightened everything, spiritual priesthood, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion, voice 4:
Let us sing to the hymn-writer and honest God-spreader, to the Church of punisher and teacher, and to the enemies of the opponent, John: for the weapon, the Cross of the Lord, has repelled all the charms of heresies, and as a warm intercessor to God, grants forgiveness of sins to all.
Magnification:
We bless you, Reverend Father John, and honor your holy memory, teacher of monks and interlocutor of angels.
Akathist
Akathist to St. John of Damascus
Kontakion 1
Chosen saint of Christ, Reverend Father John, we write praises to you, as the golden-speaking singer of cherubic hymns and seraphim verbs, the Orthodox Church and our intercessor and warm prayer book for us: you, as if you had boldness to the Lord, prayed for us with continuous prayer and asked for forgiveness for our sins calling you:
Ikos 1
You were an earthly angel and a heavenly man, Reverend John, and in your life you had a warm love for the Mother of God, you tried to build Her holy icon and reverently placed this in your cell, you remained in unceasing prayers. We, pleasing you, say:
Rejoice, unashamed intercessor for us before the Lord.
Rejoice, our vigilant prayer book to the Mother of God.
Rejoice, our merciful and meek Father.
Rejoice, quick helper in troubles and circumstances.
Rejoice, consolation to the mournful and sorrowful.
Rejoice, give ambulance to everyone who asks.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 2
Seeing, Reverend Father John, his right hand, who wrote a lot in defense of the honor and veneration of holy icons, was mercilessly cut off at the behest of the iconoclast king, I asked for it from the unfaithful tormentor, and applying it to the joint that had been truncated, tearfully praying to the Most Pure Virgin Mother of God for her to be healed , and the All-Blessed and All-Powerful Intercessor of our family, soon heard your prayer, and having appeared to you in a dream, you granted healing to your truncated hand, so you could sing in gratitude to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The human mind cannot comprehend the power of grace-filled healings miraculously revealed by the icon of the Mother of God and explain the great miracle of how your severed right hand was found whole and healthy in one night, and on it only the scarlet sign of the former ulcer was left by the Good Physician, pleasing the Queen of Heaven with praises to you, servant of God, we say:
Rejoice, zealous servant of God.
Rejoice, fellow angels.
Rejoice, interlocutor of the venerables.
Rejoice, warm intercessor who comes running to you.
Rejoice, gifted from God to an intercessor and patron.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 3
Showing the power of the right hand of the Most High in healing his truncated right hand, the God-speaking John, sang with red songs the Lady of the All-Good and applied the likeness of his truncated hand to the healing image of the Mother of God for the sake of the everlasting memory of the great miracle; Therefore, now this holy icon of the Three Hands is visible and is called, with three hands described on it glorifying the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and the miracles that happen from it, leading everyone to cry out in praise to the Lord: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Have great zeal for God, spirit-bearing hymn-writer of the Holy Church and sweet divine glorifier of her, Venerable John, with songs of praise until the end of your life you glorify the wondrous mercy of the Mother of God, in memory of the former miracle of the cloth with which your truncated hand was wrapped, on the head of your burden, an icon And the Mother of God, who has many healing powers, as a rich inheritance, was given to the Holy Lavra of the Venerable Savva the Sanctified, for veneration by all the faithful. For your care for our souls, we duly appeal to you:
Rejoice, for you have completely pleased God.
Rejoice, for you have received the crown of immortal life.
Rejoice, enjoy the sweets of heaven.
Rejoice, be satisfied with God's goodness.
Rejoice, faithful teacher and mentor.
Rejoice, strong champion of the enemies of the holy Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 4
A storm of bewilderment confuses my mind, Reverend Father John, how worthy it is to God to proclaim your greatness, but as you are good and merciful, look not at the dignity of this creation, but at our zealous will and teach us sinners how it is proper for our souls to feel the praises of God and sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Having heard those near and far, Reverend Our Father John, your angelic life, and as through your prayer the many who flow to you with faith receive grace-filled consolation and gratefully remember your many good deeds, which you left for us in hymns and spiritual songs, we joyfully cry out to this one for you:
Rejoice, for for the sake of God you left your country for the sake of your fatherland.
Rejoice, for you have enlightened us with divine hymns.
Rejoice, pillar of piety.
Rejoice, repository of virtues.
Rejoice, you who speak heavenly truth through your golden lips.
Rejoice, do not attribute earthly honors to anything.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Venerable John of Damascus. Fresco, early 14th century. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Protata (Athos)
Kontakion 5
God-lovingly, like a shining star, you walked, servant of God, to the most holy city of Jerusalem to worship the holy places, where you remained, without returning to the world, you entered as a monk into the monastery of the Venerable Savva the Sanctified, chanting gratefully to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen your angelic life equal to the angels, blessed father, the depth of your humility, unceasing prayer, firmness of abstinence and the great zeal of your spirit for purity, you were amazed and glorified the philanthropist God, who strengthens the weak human nature. We please you and call you:
Rejoice, wonderful adornment for those who venerate monasticism.
Rejoice, lover of the splendor of the house of God.
Rejoice, you who have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, consecrated vessel of God's grace.
Rejoice, good and faithful servant of Christ.
Rejoice, true servant of the Lord.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 6
Once a God-bearing preacher, St. John, you continually taught the brethren the true knowledge of God and piety and taught you the way of your life on the path of salvation, so that we might all sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The shining light of true knowledge of God rises in your soul, illuminating the souls of the faithful, who listen with sweetness to the chants you composed and praise you:
Rejoice, organ of the All-Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, tympanum, delighter of pious feelings.
Rejoice, source of God-inspired chants.
Rejoice, good-voiced pipe, gladdening the human soul with spiritual songs.
Rejoice, O psalter, proclaiming the glory of God.
Rejoice, inexhaustible stream of God's grace.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 7
Although, Reverend Father John, you tried to console a monastic brother grieving over the death of a friend, to console him by writing hymns about the repose of the souls of the departed in the Kingdom of Heaven, for this sake we sing the angelic song to the Almighty God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
The Lord has revealed you as a new prayer book and wonderworker, Venerable Father John, and the Orthodox Church flaunts with you in the same way and with great boldness for Christ, Who prayed for us sinners, crying out to you in love:
Rejoice, most luminous lamp of the Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, zealous champion of piety.
Rejoice, unshakable pillar of the Church of God.
Rejoice, adorned temple of virtues.
Rejoice, for you have sweetened the pious feelings of faithful people with your writings.
Rejoice, you spoke heavenly truths with golden lips.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 8
Thou hast thought of being a wanderer and a stranger in this fickle world, O Reverend Father, and of seeking the coming city of heavenly Jerusalem, raising all your thoughts to it, placing your mind on the divine, and you have crucified your flesh with passions and lusts, singing sweetly, as if in tympanum, in a mortified body, a victorious song to Christ God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
You have put on all the armor of God, like a warrior of Christ, having girded your loins with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod on your nose for the preparation of the gospel of peace, you have received the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, which You were able to defeat all the slander of the evil one; So help us, Reverend Father, with your prayers, to resist the temptations of the enemy, and to imitate you in conquering our passions, so that we call to you:
Rejoice, through holy humility you have trampled down soul-destroying pride.
Rejoice, who extinguished the flame of perfect rage with meekness.
Rejoice, you who waste your wealth on the poor and hate your love of money.
Rejoice, having endured all kinds of annoyances and insults without anger.
Rejoice, for through unceasing prayers you have driven away despondency from yourself, and have achieved joy in the Lord.
Rejoice, for through abstinence and vigil you have kept your soul and body chastely.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 9
You hated all carnal pleasure, O blessed John, and you loved the One God with all your heart; In the same way, the Lord loved you and glorified miracles, giving us a prayer book favorable to His goodness: we humbly pray to you, when the imams appear before the Righteous Judge, pray to Him for us, that He may not remember our iniquities, and grant us a blessed fate at the right hand of those standing and crying out to Him : Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The orations of many things, it is not enough to express all your deeds and miracles, God-wise Father John, for the kindness of your life truly surpasses human praise, but we, conquered by love for you, dare to humbly praise you with the following singing:
Rejoice, holy lamp of the Orthodox Church, unflickering.
Rejoice, affirmation and praise of your monastery.
Rejoice, wonderful beauty of the monastic faces.
Rejoice, everlasting consolation for the Christian race.
Rejoice, to those who love and honor you as the mediator of salvation.
Rejoice, lead sinners to correction.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 10
You have inherited eternal salvation, servant of God, and you have received a righteous death as a crown by your feat, painlessly and peacefully passed from the earthly to the heavenly abode, where your holy soul received reward from the hand of the Almighty God, and with the angelic hosts stands before His Divine throne, singing the silent A song for him: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Good and faithful servant of the Heavenly King, the talent given to you is not hidden, but hardworkingly aggravated it and I will buy a lot spiritually for him, Father John, help us, earthly and earthly, to imitate your holy life and acquire at our exodus the good hope of salvation, so that we may sing tender voices to you:
Rejoice, holy one of God, having holy and immaculately ended your earthly life.
Rejoice, chosen one of Christ, painlessly and peacefully surrendering your spirit into the hand of God.
Rejoice, for your death is honorable before the Lord and your dormition is with the saints.
Rejoice, for your memory is revered with praise in the holy Church.
Rejoice, for you have settled in the heavenly abodes and have not left the earthly ones.
Rejoice, diligent intercessor of all those who come running to you and quick representative.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 11
We bring you songs of praise, reverend one, but with meager songs we praise you: for whether your adolescence, your youth, or your old age are all filled with the essence of good deeds and love for God and neighbor, they all proclaim the same song of God: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
Your disciples, great servant of God, saw your peaceful death, and the sorrow of separation from you was dissolved by the consolation of grace in the hope of your omnipotent intercession, grief at the throne of God, where you hear with love those calling you:
Rejoice, you have received the crown of immortal life from the hand of the Almighty.
Rejoice, heir of the all-bright Kingdom of Christ.
Rejoice, high citizen of Jerusalem.
Rejoice, resident of Heavenly Zion.
Rejoice, for through the labors of this temporary life you have received eternal peace.
Rejoice, blessedness, prepared for the righteous from eternity, having righteously received.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 12
Ask for divine grace for us, servant of God, may it always cover us from enemies visible and invisible, may it teach us to imitate you in the purity of angels and gentleness, may it direct our hearts to humility, repentance and unflagging fulfillment of the commandments of Christ; may he grant us a Christian death and lead us comfortably through the airy path, may he make us worthy to see the glory of the great God and sing to Him forever: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
We sing of your valiant deeds, O valiant warrior of Christ, Our Father John, we bless your blessed death, singing to you earnestly: Rejoice, for you lived holy and righteous on earth.
Rejoice, for truly you were an earthly angel and a heavenly man.
Rejoice, for your memory is with praise, and your dormition is with the saints.
Rejoice, for the gates of heaven have been opened to you, and you have entered into the joy of your Lord.
Rejoice, for Christ, the Giver of Life, has accepted your soul into the heavenly villages.
Rejoice, for with the disembodied forces you silently sang the Trisagion to God.
Rejoice, Reverend Father John, great saint and glorious miracle worker.
Kontakion 13
Oh, great and glorious miracle worker, Reverend Our Father John! Having graciously accepted this little prayer of ours, with your prayers save us from mental and physical ailments in this life and the future eternal torments and grant us, together with you, in the Kingdom of Heaven to sing to God: Alleluia.
“This kontakion is read three times and again Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1...”
Prayer
Prayer
O sacred head, reverend father, most blessed Abbot John! Do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children, pray for us, holy father, for your spiritual children, as you have boldness to the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for the grace has been given to you to pray for us. We do not imagine that you are dead: even though you passed away from us in body, but remained alive even after death, do not depart from us in spirit, preserving us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the demonic and the snares of the devil, our good shepherd. Even if your relics are always visible before our eyes, but your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the heavenly powers, standing at the throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices, knowing that you are truly alive even after death, we fall down to you and We pray to you: pray for us to the Almighty God, for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, from bitter ordeals, from demons of air princes and from eternal torment, may we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we be heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous, who from all eternity have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ: to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father, and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The prayer is different
Reverend Father John! Look upon us mercifully and lead those who are devoted to the earth to the heights of heaven. You are a mountain in heaven, we are on earth below, removed from you, not only by place, but by our sins and iniquities, but we run to you and cry: teach us to walk in your way, enlighten us and guide us. Your whole holy life has been a mirror of every virtue. Do not stop, servant of God, crying to the Lord for us. By your intercession, ask from our All-Merciful God the peace of His Church, under the sign of the militant cross, agreement in faith and unity of wisdom, destruction of vanity and schism, affirmation in good deeds, healing for the sick, consolation for the sad, intercession for the offended, help for the needy. Do not disgrace us, who come to you with faith. All Orthodox Christians, having performed your miracles and beneficent mercies, confess you to be their patron and intercessor. Reveal your ancient mercies, and to whom you helped the Father, do not reject us, their children, who are marching towards you in their footsteps. Standing before your most honorable icon, as I live for you, we fall down and pray: accept our prayers and offer them up on the altar of God’s mercy, so that we may receive your grace and timely help in our needs. Strengthen our cowardice and confirm us in faith, so that we undoubtedly hope to receive all the good things from the mercy of the Master through your prayers. Oh, great servant of God! Help all of us who flow to you with faith through your intercession to the Lord, and guide us all in peace and repentance, end our lives and move with hope into the blessed bosom of Abraham, where you now rest joyfully in your labors and struggles, glorifying God with all the saints , in the Trinity glorified, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Canon
Canon to the Holy Venerable John of Damascus, tone 2
Song 1
Irmos: In the depths of the post, sometimes the Pharaoh's all-army is a pre-armed force, but the incarnate Word consumed all-evil sin: the glorified Lord is gloriously glorified.
Let those who wish to begin your praise, grant now your honeyed voice, O Reverend, to whom you have made clear the Orthodox Church with hymns, Father John, who honors your memory.
As a wise and witty judge, looking at those who exist in nature, you have prejudged those who are not worthy; for you have changed those who are temporal, because you abiding, Father John, where Christ has glorified you even now.
Theotokos: Thou hast appeared above, Pure, all creatures, visible and invisible, Ever-Virgin: For Thou hast given birth to a Creator, as Thou hast deigned to be incarnated in Thy womb, Whom with boldness pray to save Thee who sing.
Song 3
Irmos: The desert has blossomed like a cranium, Lord, the pagan barren, the Church by Your coming, in which my heart has been established.
You have squandered your wealth, giving to God in return, so the Kingdom has been prepared for you in Heaven; but even now, John, you have received multiple rewards.
The wisdom of receiving the talent, adorning it with deeds, made clear to you, John, the Church of Christ, which you greatly aggravated, and abandoned your life.
Theotokos: I marveled at the Angels, O Most Pure One, and feared the human heart at Thy Nativity. Moreover, we honor Thee, the Mother of God, with faith.
Kontakion, tone 4
Let us sing to the hymn-writer and honorable God-spreader, to the Church of the punisher and teacher and the enemies of the opponent John: for we take up the weapon - the Cross of the Lord, which reflects all the charms of heresies and as a warm intercessor to God grants forgiveness of sins to all.
Ikos
To the church mentor, and teacher, and priest, like the secret of the unspoken, we cry out in agreement: open our lips to God with your prayers and make us worthy to speak the words of your teachings, for you have appeared as a participant in the Trinity, like another sun shining in the world, shining through miracles and teachings, like Moses, always studying the law of the Lord, you were a lamp in word and deed and constantly prayed for forgiveness of all sins.
Song 4
Irmos: You came from the Virgin, not an intercessor, nor an Angel, but the Lord Himself, who became incarnate, and you saved all of me, a man. Thus I call to You: glory to Your power, O Lord.
Having obeyed the command of Christ, you left worldly beauty, wealth, sweetness, lightness. For His sake, take up your cross, you followed, John the wise.
Having communicated to the impoverished Christ of mankind for the sake of salvation, you were glorified, as He was promised, and you reigned to the ever-reigning John.
Theotokos: You, the refuge of salvation and the insurmountable wall, Mother of God, Lady, we know all the faithful: You have delivered our souls from troubles with Your prayers.
Song 5
Irmos: Thou art an intercessor for God and man, O Christ God: for by Thee, O Lord, didst thou bring the imams to the Master of Light, Thy Father, from the night of ignorance.
Through the fear of Christ, Father, we are strengthened to the Divine life, you have subdued all carnal wisdom to the spirit, yours, John, purifying your feelings.
Having thoroughly cleansed your body, mind, and soul of all filthiness, O God-Wise One, you received the trisolar dawn, O John, who enriched you with bright gifts.
Theotokos: Pray to Your Son and Lord, O Pure Virgin, to grant deliverance from the opposite situation to those who are captive, and to grant peace to those who trust in You.
Song 6
Irmos: In the depths of sin I am, O Savior, and in the abyss of life I am overwhelmed, but, like Jonah from the beast, lead me up from passions and save me.
Having been enlightened by the Spirit by grace, having clearly enriched yourself with the knowledge of Divine and human things, you unenviably taught those who demanded it, John.
Like the face of Heaven, wise, you have adorned the Orthodox Church, inviting constant songs to the Divine Trinity.
Theotokos: Without artifice, O Virgin, Thou didst give birth to the eternal Virgin, revealing the true Divinity, Thy Son and God, images.
Song 7
Irmos: The ungodly command of the lawless tormentor rose high in flames. Christ spread spiritual dew to the Godly youth, He is blessed and glorified.
We kindle with zeal, God-fighting heresies, you countered all evil with bright scriptures, making clear to everyone what was sown in ancient times, by the wise, about John, written subtly.
You have warmly denounced the blasphemous wickedness of the evil-named disciples of Manent, who have corrupted the encroached Church of Christ, with your words and dogmas, about John, which you have perpetrated.
Theotokos: The Most Holy Saints we mean Thee, as the only One who gave birth to the indispensable God, the undefiled Virgin, the brideless Mother: for Thou hast poured out incorruption upon the faithful through Thy Divine Nativity.
Song 8
Irmos: Sometimes the fiery furnace in Babylon shared the actions of God's command, scorching the Chaldeans, watering the faithful, singing: bless all the works of the Lord, the Lord.
Thou hast exposed, in reality, the blessed John, the Nestorian division, the Sevirian merging, the one-willed pre-madness, but the single-effectual faith of Orthodoxy has been brought to an end by all.
All the enemies of tares are usually heretical in the Church of Christ, this worship is swept away in honest icons, but you will not slumber, O all-blessed John, uprooting every seed of evil.
Theotokos: You are from the inseparable Father, who lived in the womb of a God-husband, without seed you conceived and gave birth unspeakably, to the Most Pure Mother of God: we also confess You, the salvation of us all.
Song 9
Irmos: The Beginningless Parent, the Son, God and Lord, incarnated from the Virgin, appeared to us, darkened to enlighten, fellow squandered. Thus we magnify the All-Sung Mother of God.
Thou hast taught all the Church's sons to sing the Orthodox Unity in the Honest Trinity, and the incarnation of the Divine Word to appear in theology, John, making clear what is inconvenient to many in the Holy Scriptures.
Having sung the hymns of the holy ranks, O Reverend, the Pure Mother of God, the Forerunner of Christ, the same apostles, prophets, fasters and wise teachers, righteous men and martyrs, in those tabernacles now dwelling.
Theotokos: The palace was that of the incarnation of the Word, the Virgin Mother of God, clothed with the glory of virtues and dotted with it. To those, the All-Immaculate, we proclaim the Mother of God.
^sss^Reverend John of Damascus^sss^
