August 16, 2022

Holy New Venerable Martyrs Nikodemos of Meteora (+ 1551) and Daniel of Meteora


 Verses

"What of you Nikodemos?" He said during his passion,
"I am being put to death for the love of the Lord."


We are told by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who wrote the verses above, that the "Holy New Venerable Martyr Nikodemos from Meteora was martyred for his piety in the year 1551." Besides this, we have no other information about this Saint or what led to his martyrdom, other than the fact that he lived at the Great Meteoron Monastery and was martyred on August 16th.


Verses

You came from Tsioti God-bearer,
And you came up to the cliff divine-discourser,
That for the love of God you will live unceasing in asceticism,
Wherefore you received a crown in these latter days.


We have no biographical details about the Holy New Venerable Martyr Daniel, apart from the fact that he was from Farkadona (ancient Tsioti) in southeastern Trikala. We also do not know the circumstances or year of his martyrdom, but it is believed he lived in the 16th century. The sacred skull of Venerable David is in the Great Meteoron Monastery, which is kept in a case dating to 1786. On the first Saturday of the fast of the fifteen days of August, his holy skull is brought to his homeland in Farkadona to be venerated by the faithful. His feast is on August 16th.