Venerable Martyr Damascene

Life

Born in Galata in Constantinople, he was first called Diamandi. In his youth he lived immorally, so much so that he even converted to Islam. Then bitter repentance arose in him, and he went to the Holy Mountain, where as a monk he struggled ascetically with rigor for twelve years in the Lavra of Saint Athanasius. But desiring martyrdom for the cleansing of his sin, he went to Constantinople and began to go about the mosques, crossing himself and shouting to the Turks how their faith was false and how Jesus Christ is God and Lord. He was beheaded before the gate of Phanar on November 13, 1681. His relics repose on Halki in the monastery of the Holy Trinity.