Venerable John, called Barsanuphius, Bishop of Damascus

John was born in Palestine, was baptized at eighteen, became a monk, and for his strict life was made archbishop of Damascus. Finding his office hard to reconcile with monastic life, he secretly left Damascus, took the name Barsanuphius in Alexandria so as not to be recognized, and went as a poor stranger to a monastery on Mount Nitria in Egypt. There he served the brethren: each morning he carried water from the river to every cell, and at night he prayed. When a foolish monk insulted him and fouled his bed, Barsanuphius begged the abbot not to punish the brother but to blame him instead. Recognized at last, he left Nitria for another part of Egypt, where he died in peace, in the 5th century.