Venerable John, Bishop of Damascus, Called Barsanuphius (V)

The Venerable John of Damascus, called Barsanuphius, was born in Palestine. He was eighteen when he was baptised, and a short time later he took the monastic habit. The ascetic monk was consecrated Bishop of Damascus too, but, inclined to solitude, the father secretly left his diocese and went to Alexandria under the name of Barsanuphius. John settled in a monastery of the Nitrian desert: by day he obediently served the monks, and he spent his nights in prayer. Soon Saint Theodore of Nitria recognised the Bishop of Damascus in the humble monk, after which the holy father left this place too, went into Egypt, and laboured there until his end (V).