St. JOHN OF DAMASCUS 1 (of 2)

📖 The Scoop

“Wealth without work

Pleasure without conscience

Science without humanity

Knowledge without character

Politics without principle

Commerce without morality

Worship without sacrifice.

https://vidjambov.blogspot.com/2023/01/book-inventory-vladimir-djambov-talmach.html

John of Damascus (c. 675 - 753 (777?)) (Greek Ιωαννης ο Δαμασκηνος) - reverend saint, one of the Church Fathers, theologian and hymnographer. He bore the hereditary nickname Mansur ("victorious"). His father Sergius (Ibn-Serjun) served at the caliph’s court in Damascus with the title of “great dogofet,” a tax collector. Subsequently, he was replaced by John himself.

According to legend, he studied with Cosma (later of Mayumsk) with a captive monk from Calabria (also named Cosma). About 736 he was tonsured at the monastery of St. Sava near Jerusalem. Known as the largest systematizer of Christian dogma; he owns the fundamental work "The Source of Knowledge", which includes the philosophical ("Dialectics"), accusatory ("On heresies") and dogmatic ("Exact exposition of the Orthodox Faith") sections. During the period of iconoclasm, he advocated the veneration of icons, the author of “Three Defensive Words in Support of Icon veneration,” in which iconoclasm is understood as a heresy of heresy, and for the first time there is a distinction between “service”, befitting only to God, and “worship”, provided to created things, icons included. The Iconoclastic Council of 754 anathematized John four times, Church tradition ascribes to John a number of canons that changed the course of Matins, the compilation of the Octoichus and many troparia, kontakia and stichera(s) dedicated to various saints and festive events.

The fundamental work "Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith" is the first systematic exposition of the Orthodox faith. The work of John of Damascus is still the main symbolic book of Orthodoxy, the main source of the foundations of Christian teaching for the Orthodox Church. This work is the statements of the Monk John concerning the general principles of faith, the Church, morality, morals, a consistent and harmonious examination of the doctrine of God, the Trinity, the creation of the world, angels and demons, visible nature and paradise, about man, his attributes and providence.

St. John of Damascus is venerated on December 4 (17).

One of the types of icons of the Theotokos is associated with the name of John and the famous Mother of God chant “She rejoices about you...”. ... a silver image of the hand was attached to the icon of the Theotokos... and this icon received the name "Three-Handed" (Troeruchitsa)

Rev. Father John, pray to God for us.

Genre: Religion / Christianity / Orthodox (fancy, right?)