CONCERNING ST. BARSUS, BISHOP OF DAMASCUS.
CommentaryBarsus, Bishop of Damascus in Syria (Saint)
G. H.
[1] Damascus, an ancient city of Syria, celebrated by both sacred and profane writers, had as its first Bishop St. Ananias, by whom the divine Paul was baptized, and who was also the Apostle of Syrian Damascus. That he obtained the palm of martyrdom there for the faith of Christ is indicated by the Acts given on January 25. St. Barsus, Bishop of Damascus The Greeks venerate St. Barsus as Bishop of the same city and Metropolitan of Phoenicia of Lebanon on this day in the great Menaia and in the Lives of the Saints published by Maximus Cytheraeus, and they have these few words about him: On the same day, St. Barsus, Bishop of Damascus, ended his life in peace. In the Menaia the following couplet is added:
Leaving the spectacles of this flowing life, Barsus is present at the festivals of the Angels.
[2] We gave on January 30 Barsus, or Barses, Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia, he seems different from St. Barsus, Bishop of Edessa who was banished into exile by the Emperor Valens, and at number 3 we raised some doubt whether perhaps the name Damascus had been erroneously written for the city of Edessa on this day. But we decided that nothing should be changed, even though his Acts are lacking, since it cannot at all be doubted that many holy Bishops, whose names are hidden, flourished there. Known is St. Peter, Bishop of Damascus, killed by the Saracens in the eighth century of Christ, in which time also lived St. John of Damascus, surnamed Chrysorrhoas, celebrated for his learning and holiness, whose right hand was cut off under Leo the Isaurian and was restored by the Virgin Mother of God: he is venerated on May 6; St. Peter on October 4.