Holy Great Martyr Zlata of Meglen

Life

Born in the village of Slatina in the region of Meglen, of poor village parents who had three other daughters besides her. Holy Zlata was a meek and pious maiden, wise with the wisdom of Christ, and golden not only by name but also by her God-fearing heart. When Zlata once went out to fetch water, some shameless Turks seized her and dragged her to their house. When one of them offered her that she become a Muslim and be his wife, Zlata fearlessly answered: "I believe in Christ, and I know Him alone as my Bridegroom; I shall never deny Him, even if you subject me to a thousand torments and cut me to pieces." Then her parents came to her with her sisters. And her parents said to her: "Our daughter, have pity on yourself and on us, your parents and sisters; deny Christ outwardly, so that you and we may be happy, and Christ is merciful — He will forgive you the sin committed under compulsion of life." And the poor parents and sisters and kinsmen wept bitterly. But the valiant soul of holy Zlata would not be conquered by the devil's snares. She answered her parents: "Since you counsel me to deny Christ, the true God, you are no longer my parents nor my sisters; I have a Father — the Lord Jesus Christ, and a Mother — the Theotokos, and brothers and sisters — the saints, both men and women." Then the Turks cast her into prison, where she lay for three months; and they brought her out every day and flogged her until her blood soaked the earth. Finally they hanged her upside down and set a fire beneath her, so that she might be suffocated by the smoke. But the Lord was with Zlata and gave her strength in her suffering. At last they hanged her from a tree and cut her whole body into small pieces. And so this valiant maiden surrendered her spirit to God and departed to the dwellings of Paradise, in the year 1796. Christians carried away pieces of her relics to their homes for a blessing.