John Damascene lived in the early 700s in Damascus, a major city in the Umayyad Caliphate (present-day Syria). At that time, the Christian world was divided over the use of holy images. John defended icons through clear, steady writing that reached far beyond his city.
But his words angered Emperor Leo III of Constantinople in the Byzantine Empire. Around 720–730 AD, the emperor forged a letter that made it look like John was plotting against Damascus. The forged letter reached the Umayyad ruler, who believed it.
Without trial or explanation, the ruler ordered that John’s right hand—his writing hand—be cut off. The punishment was carried out in public. His hand was displayed to show the sentence had been done.
John brought the severed hand back to Mar Saba Monastery near Jerusalem. He placed it before an icon of Mary and prayed through the night. His prayer was simple: that he might write again.
By morning, the monks found something impossible. John’s hand was fully restored—joined back to his arm without any sign of injury. It was warm, living, and able to move as before.
When the Umayyad ruler saw the restored hand, he realized the accusation had been false. He reversed the sentence and apologized. But John didn’t return to public service. Instead, he devoted his life completely to prayer, teaching, and writing inside the monastery.
To remember the miracle, John added a silver hand to the icon of Mary. This icon became known as Our Lady of the Three Hands, and it still exists today.
The story spread not because it was dramatic, but because it felt unmistakably real to the people who saw it: a man losing everything, praying in the dark, and waking up with a restored hand in a way no one could explain.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
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