Page "John of Damascus" Paragraph 6

Eutychius, a 10th century Melkite patriarch mentions a certain Arab governor of the city who surrendered the city to the Muslims, probably John's grandfather Mansur Bin Sargun.

When the region came under Arab Muslim rule in the late 7th century AD, the court at Damascus retained its large complement of Christian civil servants, John's grandfather among them.

John's father, Sarjun ( Sergius ) or Ibn Mansur, went on to serve the Umayyad caliphs.

According to John of Jerusalem and some later versions of his life, after his father's death John also served as an official to the caliphal court before leaving to become a monk.

This claim, that John actually served in a Muslim court, has been questioned since he is never mentioned in Muslim sources, which however do refer to his father Sarjun ( Serigius ) as a secretary in the caliphal administration.

In addition, John's own writings never refer to any experience in a Muslim court.

It is believed that John became a monk at Mar Saba, and that he was ordained as a priest in 735.