Death of Saint John of Damascus. The deacons

This panel depicts an episode from the life of Saint John of Damascus, a leading figure in the history of Byzantine theology, as well as a distinguished doctor in the history of the universal Church, Saint John of Damascus lived in the 7th century. Born in Damascus, during the reign of Emperor Leo III the Isaurian, Saint John was unjustly slandered by means of a false letter sent to the Caliph of Damascus, which fell into the trap. Saint John was punished with the severing of his right hand, which was later reattached by the miraculous intervention of the Madonna. He is the patron saint of painters, the disabled (those missing limbs), and pharmacists. The memory of this latter patronage explains while stained-glass window was offered by the Guild of Apothecaries (Pharmacists). Made between 1479 and 1489, it is the work of Niccolò da Varallo. This panel is part of a triptych depicting the death of the saint and specifically some Deacons in procession.