04 Works, Today, June 2nd is The Holy Martyr Constantine's day, his story in Paintings #153

Artist unknown

The Holy Martyr Constantine

The Holy Martyr Constantine was born upon the island of Mytilene, the capital city and port of the island of Lesbos, into a Muslim family. At the age of 15 he fell ill with smallpox, from which he completely lost his eyesight and awaited death. A certain Christian took him to church and washed him with holy water. They brought him out of the temple completely healthy.

His father died early. His mother married again, but his new father was bad and was a drunk. Because of this he moved to Smyrna with his three siblings. He would go continually to the Metropolis of Smyrna, a Greek city located on the Aegean coast of Anatolia, where he heard and learned the Greek language and the Christian faith.

Artist unknown

St. Gregory V, Patriarch of Constantinople

He decided to flee to the Holy Mountain, Mount Athos today,  in northern Greece, site of a semi autonomous republic of Greek Orthodox monks inhabiting 20 monasteries and dependencies, but no one accepted him. Then St. Gregory V, Patriarch of Constantinople, who was in exile on Athos, having tested him, baptized him as a Christian in Kavsokalyvia, with the name Konstantinos. 

In the Skete of the Precious Forerunner, a term often used for a small monastic community, he venerated the precious relics of the new martyrs and he was seized with the desire to imitate their deeds. Having passed time in fasting and prayer close to a spiritual father, he decided to go to Magnesia, to have his sister baptized as a Christian. After the advice of the Fathers, however, he sailed from the Holy Mountain and landed in Kydonies. 

Artist unknown

The Holy Martyr Constantine

There he was recognized by some Turk who led him to the Aga. He confessed Christ and then confessed his origin. He was imprisoned and terribly tortured. When they questioned him again, Konstantinos made the sign of the Cross before them, thus demonstrating his immovable faith. Then they again imprisoned him and tortured him in a terrible manner. 

Artist unknown

The Holy Martyr Constantine

But the leader, seeing that his efforts were in vain, sent him to Constantinople. There having suffered difficult tortures, in the end he was hanged on June 2nd 1819. More on The Holy Martyr Constantine

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