St. John of Damascus

John came from a Christian family that served the Muslim caliphs in Damascus. When the iconoclast emperor Leo III banned the holy icons, John wrote three defences of them that the Church still relies on. By tradition the emperor framed him with a forged letter, the caliph had his hand cut off, and the Theotokos restored it after he prayed before her icon. That is the origin of the Three-handed icon. He became a monk at Mar Saba and wrote many of the hymns we sing at Pascha, including “It is the Day of Resurrection.”

• Feast: December 4 (New Calendar)
• Lived: c. 675–749
• Place: Damascus