d. 1681
A Constantinopolitan orphan who became a monk and, after a fall into apostasy, repented and confessed Christ, suffering martyrdom under Ottoman rule.
The Holy New Monastic Martyr Damascene of the Great Lavra
Damascene of the Lavra was a New Monastic Martyr of the Ottoman period, beheaded at Constantinople in 1681 after publicly confessing Christ. Born in Constantinople under the name Diamantes, he was orphaned young and, after a youthful lapse into apostasy, repented, became a monk of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos, and sought martyrdom in atonement.
His life follows the characteristic arc of the New Martyrs under Ottoman rule: an early denial of Christ followed by deep repentance and a deliberate public confession of faith that he knew would lead to death. He is commemorated on November 13.
As a venerable and proven ascetic, as an honorable and renowned martyr,
and as a model of the desert life, O most exalted Damascene,
we sing hymns of praise to you,
for you have trampled upon serpents.
Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).
The image of God was truly preserved in you, O Father,
for you took up the Cross and followed Christ.
By so doing you taught us to disregard the flesh for it passes away
but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal.
Therefore your spirit, venerable Damascene, rejoices with the angels.
Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).
He was born in the Galatea district of Constantinople and given the name Diamantes. His parents were named Kyriakos and Kyriake. Orphaned at a young age, he grew up undisciplined in his conduct.
By tradition, he was caught committing an unlawful act and, to escape punishment, agreed to convert to Islam — an apostasy from Christ that he later came to regret deeply. This fall, and the repentance that followed it, became the defining turn of his life.
Fleeing his former life, Diamantes made his way to Mount Athos and entered the Great Lavra, the monastery of the Holy Trinity founded by Saint Athanasius. There he received the monastic tonsure and the name Damascene.
He spent twelve years in prayer and ascetic discipline and was tonsured into the Great Schema. In time he revealed to his spiritual father his desire to atone for his apostasy through martyrdom.
Having resolved on martyrdom, Damascene cut his hair, dressed in the clothing of a sailor, and travelled to Constantinople. There he made the Sign of the Cross at Hagia Sophia, by then converted into a mosque, and publicly proclaimed Christ.
He repeated his confession of faith at the mosque of Sultan Mehmed, denouncing those who heard him as ignorant and deceived, and proclaimed Christ once more in the courtyard of the Grand Vizier. He was arrested and brought before Kara Mustapha, the Grand Vizier, who sentenced him to death.
He was beheaded on November 13, 1681, before the gates of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar district of Constantinople.
His relics were later transferred to the island of Chalki and enshrined in the Church of the Holy Trinity.
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