Venerable New Martyrs: Paisios and Avakum

Life

Paisios was abbot of the monastery of Trnava near Čačak, and Avakum was his brother monk and deacon. Both as Christians were impaled by the Turks on a stake in Belgrade at Kalemegdan on December 17, 1814. Carrying his stake through the streets of Belgrade, the brave Avakum sang. When his mother with weeping entreated him to become a Turk, that he might save his life, this wondrous warrior of Christ answered her: My mother, for thy milk I thank thee / But not for thy counsel do I thank thee: / The Serb is Christ's, he rejoices in death...