John, an illustrious father of the church in the 8th 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 been often printed: but the Paris-edition in 1712, two vols folio, is esteemed the best.