DAMASCENUS, JOHN, an illustrious father of the church in the eighth century, born at Damascus, where his father, though a Christian, enjoyed the office of counsellor of state to the Saracen caliph, to which the son succeeded. He retired afterwards to the monastery of St Sabas, and spent the remainder of his life in writing books of divinity. His works have often been printed; but the Paris edition of 1712, in two volumes folio, is esteemed the best.