Catholics remember the life and legacy of the great Arab Church Father, Saint John of Damascus, on December 4. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholics also honor him on the same day, as his writings deeply shaped their tradition.
Among Eastern Christians, Saint John of Damascus (676–749) is especially known for defending sacred Christian art, particularly icons. Although the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople were united during his lifetime, the Byzantine Emperor Leo III rejected the ancient practice of honoring icons and claimed it was idolatry.
Saint John grew up in Damascus under Muslim rule and was raised by deeply Christian parents. He received an excellent education, especially in theology, which prepared him to defend sacred images when the emperor began opposing them. The opponents of icons became known as iconoclasts, meaning "image breakers," because they destroyed holy images in churches.
In the 720s, John began writing publicly against the emperor’s command to remove icons. His defense rested on two key ideas: Christians do not worship the images themselves but honor God and the saints through them; and because Christ took on a real human body, it became acceptable for the Church to depict him in visible form.
By 730, his strong defense of icons made him an enemy of the emperor. The emperor forged a letter that falsely accused John of betraying Damascus to Christian forces. Believing the accusation, the ruler of Damascus ordered that John’s hand be cut off. According to his biography, the Virgin Mary miraculously restored it. John later proved his innocence and chose to leave public life, becoming a monk and later a priest.
Although several imperial synods condemned his teaching, the Roman Church defended him, recognizing his views as faithful to apostolic tradition. Years after his death, the Seventh Ecumenical Council confirmed his teaching and secured the accepted place of icons in both Eastern and Western Christian worship.
Saint John of Damascus also made significant contributions to theology. His work, “The Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” organized the teachings of earlier Greek Church Fathers using philosophical structure. This text later influenced Saint Thomas Aquinas and many other Western theologians. His sermons on the Virgin Mary’s assumption were also used centuries later by Pope Pius XII.
In addition to theology, he helped shape Eastern Christian worship through hymns and liturgical poetry that are still used today.
“Show me the icons that you venerate, that I may be able to understand your faith.” – Saint John of Damascus