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Fr. Daniel was born into a middle-class family in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world. He was raised primarily by his maternal grandparents, who took great care to make sure that he received a complete religious education. Devout by nature, he studied the Qur’an, and accepted with great piety the teachings of Islam as they were passed on to him. As a Muslim, he opposed the teaching of Christianity, and was proud of his ability to win debates with Christians. He was nevertheless intrigued by the passages in the Qur’an that referred to Jesus, the son of Mary. One day during his evening Islamic prayers, Christ appeared to him in a miraculous and life-changing vision, similar to the experience St. Paul had on the road to Damascus. From that moment, Fr. Daniel’s life was radically and permanently altered.<ref>[http://www.orthodoxspeakers.com/fr-daniel-byantoro/ Fr. Daniel Byantoro: Biography], at Orthodox Speakers Bureau.</ref><ref>[http://friendsofindonesia.org/about/fr_daniel/ Biography: Archimandrite Daniel Byantoro: Conversion]. Friends of Indonesia (Fr. Daniel's Website).</ref>