August 17: Saint Demetrius of Samaritans is celebratedtranslated

Today our Holy Church honors the memory of the Holy Martyr Myron, who lived in Achaia during the time of Emperor Decius. It also honors Saint Demetrius the New Martyr. The neomartyr Dimitrios lived at the end of the 18th century. He came from Samarina and at a young age dedicated himself to Christ, coming to a monastery in Epirus. He zealously practiced his solitary duties, according to the psalmist "as a man I do not listen and do not put rebuke in his mouth" (Psalm 37, 15), but at the same time he did not fail to teach the word of Jesus Christ with courage in the Turkish-occupied villages of Thessaly.

In the difficult years that followed the failed rebellion of priest Efthimios Vlachavas, which took place in 1808, Dimitrios was captured by the Turks and taken to Ali Pasha, by whose order he was subjected to inhuman torture, which he endured with deep faith and exemplary courage.

Finally they built him inside a wall, where he expired after ten days of martyrdom. A Turk, who admired his bravery, believed and publicly confessed Jesus Christ, not as a mere prophet, according to Islam, but as a God-man Savior and Redeemer, according to…