Saint John Damascene (c. 675–749) was born in Damascus, where he served for a time as an official in the court of the caliph before leaving to become a monk and priest at the monastery of Mar Saba near Jerusalem. He devoted his life to writing theology, hymns, and defenses of the faith, most famously defending the veneration of holy images during the iconoclast controversy. He is honored as a Doctor of the Church.
John gave up position and comfort to seek God in quiet prayer, and he used his gifts of learning and poetry to help others see the beauty of the faith. He reminds us that sacred images, like treasured photographs, can lift our hearts toward heaven and toward those we love. His trust that the visible can carry us to the invisible is a gentle comfort to all who keep memory alive.
Saint John Damascene, who taught us that holy images draw our hearts to God, pray for us and for all we hold in loving memory, that we may see God's face in every reminder of those we love. Amen.