Memorial of Saints (December 4)

St. John Damascene was a financial officer of the city before he entered the monastery of Mar Saba, near Jerusalem. John was known for his encyclopedic knowledge and theological method, both of which inspired St. Thomas of Aquinas, the Dominican. John was not only gifted in writing, but also had talent in music. His more important contribution to the Church of his time was his defense of the veneration of sacred images against the iconoclasts (died ca. 749 A.D.).

St. Barbara is a saint honored in the Church's ancient tradition. Martyred in ca. 303 A.D., under Emperor Maximian, devotion to her became more popular in the later Middle Ages, especially in France. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers - a group of saints who were popular in the fourteenth century and in the countries of Germany, Hungary and Sweden. St. Barbara is the patron saint of those in danger of sudden death by lightning. Tradition tells us that this came about because her father was struck dead by lightning when he killed Barbara for her Christian faith (died ca. 4th century A.D.).

St. Maruthas was bishop of Maiferkat, Mesopotamia (near the Persian border). Maruthas was able to find favor with the king of Persia and received permission to restore a Church organization and to build many churches in Persia. St. Maruthas is considered the father of the Syrian Church. He compiled a record of Christians martyred in Persia during the reign of King Sapor. He also brought so many martyrs' relics to Maiferkat that it was renamed Martyropolis (died ca. 415 A.D.).

St. Anno studied at the cathedral school of Bamberg and became one of Henry III's chaplains. In 1056 A.D., Anno was appointed archbishop of Cologne and Henry III's chancellor. St. Anno was constantly involved in the murky politics of his era. But even with these involvements, he was also able to establish monasteries, reformed existing ones, and was given to charitable acts with the poor. He spent the last years of his life doing penance at the monastery he founded at Siegburg (died ca. 1075 A.D.).

St. Osmund served as chancellor and was named bishop of Salisbury in 1078 A.D. Osmund drew up new liturgical books regulating the Mass, the Divine Office, and the administration of the Sacraments. These regulations were followed until the next century and widely adapted in England, Ireland and Wales. Osmund also gathered together an extensive collection of manuscripts for the cathedral library. He was also an expert copyist, a skilled binder of books, and an author on the life of St. Aldhelm (died ca. 1099 A.D.).

St. Bernard of Parma joined the Vallombrosans. In time, he was elected general of this Order. In 1097 A.D., he was made cardinal by Pope Urban II. In 1106 A.D., he was appointed bishop of Parma. When Maginulf became an antipope, Maginulf's followers drove Bernard into exile. Bernard was twice driven into exile: the first in 1104 A.D., and the second in 1127 A.D. He was however able to return to his see in Parma where he spent his last years (died ca. 1133 A.D.).

Saints with Feasts & Memorials Celebrated in December

Francis Xavier: (died 1552 A.D. at age 46 on the island of Sancion off the China coast); from Navarre; one of the founding Jesuits; preached in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Japan; patron of foreign missions. (December 3)

John of Damascene: (died 749 A.D.); last of the Greek Fathers; first of the East to formulate a comprehensive synthesis of Christian dogma; defended the veneration of icons; composed hymns and preached many homilies in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially her Assumption. (December 4)

Nicholas (died 4th c. A.D.): bishop of Myra in Asia Minor; model pastor noted for charity; popularized as Santa Claus; patron of Russia, Greece, Sicily and Lorraine, and of children and sailors. (December 6)

Juan Diego: In 1531 A.D. Our Lady appeared four times to a native convert, Juan Diego Cuatitlatoatzin (meaning “the talking eagle”), at Tepayac, near Mexico City. A member of the Chichimeca people, he was perhaps a leader of his own people and may have been involved in the area’s textile industry. Known for his holiness, Juan Diego devoted himself, tradition says, to the pilgrims who came to see the miraculous image of Mary imprinted on his cloak; beatified in 1990 A.D. by Pope John Paul II in Mexico City. (December 9)

Damasus: (died 384 A.D.); preserved papal archives and was devoted to martyrs' cult; combatted the anti-pope Ursinus, Arian and Donatist heresies; defended the Roman primacy; encouraged Jerome to produce the Latin Vulgate. (December 11)

Lucy: (died probably in Sicily c. 304 A.D. under Diocletian); she is patroness of those afflicted with diseases of the eye and associated with festivals of light, especially in Scandinavia; mentioned in the Roman Canon; patroness of Syracuse and all Sicily. (December 13)

Stephen (died c. 35 A.D.); one of the seven deacons of the Acts of the Apostles; first disciple to be martyred; mentioned in the Roman Canon. (December 26)

John (died c. 100? A.D. at Ephesus): son of Zebedee, brother of James; "disciple whom Jesus loved"; authored 3(?) letters, the book of Revelation and the most spiritual of the gospels; symbolized by the eagle (cf. Ezekiel 1); patron of Asiatic Turkey; mentioned in the Roman Canon. (December 27)

Thomas Becket (died 29 Dec. 1170 A.D.); killed by order of Henry II; 8 years chancellor of England; as archbishop of Canterbury defended the freedoms and rights of the Church; canonized only 3 years after his death; considered the most famous martyr of the Middle Ages. (December 29)

Sylvester: (died 335 A.D.); as bishop of Rome (314-335 A.D.), organized public worship and dedicated the Lateran basilica; represented at the Council of Nicea which condemned Arianism; one of the first non-martyrs venerated as a saint. (December 31)

St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor of the Church

St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor: c. 675-749 A.D.

Feast day, December 4

Birth, family background, and early life

St. John of Damascus, or St. John Damascene, was born of a wealthy Christian family at Damascus, Syria, in 675 A.D. His father, also named John, had the position of chief of the revenue department for the caliphate, and also chief representative of the Christian community. A brilliant monk called Cosmas, who had been captured in a raid on Sicily, educated the young St. John Damascene - teaching him all the sciences, but most especially theology. When John grew to manhood, he succeeded his father as chief of the revenue department, and as representative of the Christian community. In 719 A.D., a new caliph changed the system, and John soon lost his position. He then entered the Monastery of St. Sabas near Jerusalem to settle down and live the life of a monk. He occupied his time for more than thirty years, when not praying, by writing books and composing hymns.

Champion in defense of the veneration of icons

In 726 A.D., an edict was issued by Emperor Leo the Isaurian which prohibited the veneration of images. John however defended the practice, and became a leading champion of the Catholic position - arousing the enmity of the Byzantine Emperors. Emperor Leo then ordered the right hand of St. John to be cut off, but this saintly monk still lived to see his right hand miraculously restored through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. John wrote three spiritual defenses of the veneration of icons - one in 728 A.D., and two more in 730 A.D. He also made the now classic definition and distinction between "adoration", which is given only to God, and "veneration", which is given to creatures. He added also that in the treasuring of icons, Christians venerate not the images in themselves but in who the images represent.

A prolific author and outstanding writer

St. John Damascene turned out to be a prolific author, writing one hundred fifty works on theology, religious education, philosophy, and biographies. Among his outstanding writings are: Fount of Wisdom, which dealt on philosophy, heresies, and the orthodox faith; De Fide Orthodoxa, a comprehensive presentation of the teachings of the Greek Fathers on the main Christian doctrines; and Sacra Parallela. This last work is a compilation of scriptural and patristic texts on Christian moral and ascetical works. St. John also wrote poetry, of which some are used in the Greek liturgy. The elegance of St. John's use of Greek earned him the title Chrysorrhoas (gold-pouring).

Last years in the monastery

St. John Damascene remained in the monastery for most of his life. At one point, the patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop John V, called both John and his adopted brother Cosmas, out of the monastery, first consecrating Cosmas as bishop of Majuma, and then ordaining John a priest. St. John however returned to the monastery where he eventually died on December 5, 749 A.D., at about the age of 74 years. The last of the Greek Fathers of the Church, St. John Damascene was made Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1890 A.D. The Church now celebrates his feast every December 4.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• The Doctors of the Church vol 1, by John F. Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.