New Martyrs Under the Turkish Yoke

[尼古拉前执事]

The New Martyrs of the Bulgarian Nation

“I sorrow for thee, O Church. I sorrow for thee because of this unexpected ruin!”
-Metropolitan Joasaph of Bdyn

At the end of the fourteenth century A.D., a tremendous disaster befell Bulgaria. In our days however, the traces of the severe sufferings of Balkan Christians seem to have been obliterated. The historical memory of the Bulgarian nation’s martyrdom resembles a half-ruined, derelict church. To speak about New Martyrs in Bulgaria, in our days, is even somewhat embarrassing. Ages past have concealed their names. The shreds of knowledge we have about them are fragmental and inadequate. It is strange to say so, but we, too, their descendants, seem not to hold them dear. Those, who are aware of the lofty mission of the martyrs with Christ’s Church are only a few; yet, the blood of martyrs is a seed of Faith, as one ancient author wrote. And how many of us could call themselves lovers of martyrs? One of the first divers for martyric pearls, Paisii of Hilandar, wrote in his The History of Slavs and Bulgarians:

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I have been able to discover the following holy martyrs who were of the Bulgarian nationality and language. Twenty-nine martyrs’ names are recorded in Bulgaria. Initially, the Turks killed many Bulgarians townspeople on account of their Christian faith; but because of their simplicity and carelessness people did not write about their sufferings. Thus, from generation to generation their martyrdom and names have passed into oblivion.

Today, however, we feel their spiritual presence. Their call is unceasing: “Forsake not the faith of your fathers. Cast not the precious pearl onto the ash heap” [cf. St. Mt. 7:6], but as we laid down our souls for Christ and for His Bride, the Church, remain within that which you have received unto the end,” that is, your ancestral faith, to save your souls and gain that Land promised to you before all ages. Now the time has come for us to pay them a humble tribute of homage and love, by calling out of oblivion their great exploits, by glorifying their memory with love and trust; for, they are persistent intercessors of the Bulgarian nation!

But who are ye, New Martyrs of our nation? While we may not know your names, at least make known to us your feats, so that, elated by your undefeatable valour, we can shake off the spirit of despondency and faint-heartedness, elevating our souls on the wings of repentance before God, Who fortified you in your appalling sufferings!

Leafing through the faded pages of Bulgarian annals, the heart-rending picture of the Tuurkish yoke comes to life before our very eyes:

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Make known that time when there was turmoil and the Turks disposed of the patriarch of Tsarigrad and hanged his bishops, taking the silyahl�k (a wide waist-band for carrying weapons) from the Christians. And when they devastated Mount Athos and slaughtered many Christians. And enslaved and ravaged many small towns, destroying many monasteries and churches. ....They violated Christian women and rode their men like horses in the streets, pillaging Christian goods like predatory wolves.... [1]

....This foe not only devastated the villages in Bulgaria, Romania, and Macedonia, but tyrannically slaughtered the residents of these lands. Thus, they burned a large number of infants gathered in a building, cut away women’s nipples and fingers, tormenting men by wrapping red-hot chains around their bodies. Submitting Christians to such torments, the Turks become so demon-possessed that they slayed people out of nothing else but bare hatred for the Slavo-Russian Church. [2].

The “Encomion to Patriarch Evtimiy” witnesses to the massacre of the 110 Tarnovo boyars, who refused to embrace Islam:

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‘The Turkish voivode, whom Sultan Bayazid appointed to rule the town, called together those of God’s men who superseded the rest in fame, virtues, and origin, pretending he was going to discuss vaious issues of common benefit. And they, while following the evil herald, went like irrational sheep after those who were to butcher them, hastening to put their trust in murderous hands, each carrying his own blood. When he saw them in his hands, the bloodthirsty beast slew them in front of the church, or should we better say, sanctified them, unmoved by their white hair, sparing no one on account of his youth. Their throats were made game for his knife.... O Holy Hosts! And not some at one time and others at another, but all of them, standing together before the torturer, spat at him and immediately, presenting themselves before Christ, were crowned with a martyr’s crown. The torturer left their corpses as food for the fowls of the air.... O warriors, you kept the faith and decreased not in number! And here is their number: they were one hundred and ten, whose blood painted the church in crimson! And although they were plenty, the net of tore not! [3]

Are you aware of the holy martyr Ivan the New of Turnovo? Or of the holy martyr Constantine of Sofia? Or St. Rada of Plovdiv? Bishop Parthenii of Levkia has compiled materials regarding their martyrdoms [4], yet their memory remains, even to this day, deeply buried under the ashes of oblivion.

The dark era of the Ottoman yoke is well-known for the following mass-scale periods of Islamization: one in 1515, then from 1666-1670 in the Rhodope Mountains [5], and from 1686-1690 in North-Eastern Bulgaria. Islamization in the Rhodope region began in 1666, in connection with the Turkish-Venetian War for the island of Crete. It has been described in three chronicles, among which the testimony of the Belovo Chronicle is especially valuable; according to this source, during this time of Islamization, a total of seventy-four villages in the Rhodopean region of Chepino were forcefully converted to Islam. This information is also confirmed by the materials found in the Historical Journal, which is our chief source for the new martyrs from the Smolyan region. These were not only times of disgrace, but also times of glory, for Bulgarian Christians, since many of them preferred death to the “turban.” The Rhodopean islamization took a long time, but “the results [for the Turks] were limited”; rather, it produced an especially great number of martyrs.

On page 155 of the Historical Journal, we find a description of the martyrdom of Milyan, from the Smolyan region:

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In [the village of] Dolno Raikovo, there lived an old man [named] Smilyan and his wife, Grandma Milyana. They had a total of two children: Milyan and Militsa. The Turks took away his little son and sent him to Tsarigrad, while his daughter grew up and became a famed beauty. One day, many years later, Milyan came back as a Turkish hodja (imam), with a turban on his head, and made for his parents’ house. But his father would not usher him in, although they had wept for him long years. But when his sister, Militsa, beheld him, she recognised him, embraced him, started kissing him and uttering endearing sisterly words, arising in him brotherly affections and motherly love. And he was touched; his heart broke and he said: “I now renounce the Turkish faith!” He kissed his father, his mother, and the beautiful Militsa. All fear vanished from him, and he was ready to give up his life by renouncing the Turkish faith. Milyan took off his turban, trampled it flat, and went out of the house. This stirring event was a great joy to the Christians and a deep grief for the Turks. Infuriated, the Turks came the very next day, arrested Milyan, and asked him if it was true that he had renounced Islam. He confirmed this. Then they killed him with the most cruel torments, in front of his father’s house. And they grabbed Militsa and took her to [the village of] Smilyan (Smolyan) to make her a young Turkish kad�na(concubine). But what happened? Many recalcitrant youngs from the village, gathered together and headed by old Smilyan, caught up with Militsa, took her back from the Turks’ hands, killed them, and then fled in the woods, becoming out-and-out haidouks.... ([Written in] the village of Goliamo Raikovo, May 9, 1633)

Another chronicle writes of the Chepino New-Martyrs (of 1670):

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At that time, the villages in Tzepina were converted to the Turkish faith and a certain Hassan hodja was sent there to accompany the Pasha’ but first of all he circumcised the priests Father Constantine, Father George, and Father Dimiter, on the day of St George. They forced all to become Turks by the 15th of August (Old Style), and those who resisted were slaughtered, to frighten the rest.... [6]

O, Holy New-Martyrs of Chepino, pray unto God for us!

Here is an excerpt frim a note in 1812:

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Along the Black Sea [coast], too, Christians speak Turkish.... Once upon a one time, Turks cut their tongues off and tortured them greatly in order to make them Turks; but they refused to accept the debased Mohammedan faith. May it be known and remembered by all that this is true, since these people are strict and cautious with regard to their faith.

The following examples of martyrdom tell us what a hearth of the Faith the Rhodope region used to be. Close to the village of Zab�rdo is the so-called Tsirikova Church. Near the district of The Kabba, in the center of a large meadow, it was to this small church that people went to pray. From the narration of ninety-year-old Kalin Cherpokov, we learn that during the islamization a Turkish chieftain, Deli Softa, went there with a huge horde of janissaries. He surrounded the Church, where the residents of the village of Staro Selo had gathered. He made them come out, emptied before them two carloads of turbans and fezzes, and said: “Hey, kavours (infidels), choose now–either fezzes or your heads....” Some did not withstand and took the fezzes; others, however, refused to do so. The disobedient were captured and closed inside the church, where they were slaughtered by the hordes of Deli Softa. The church resounded with shrieks and cries. This sound, called “tsirikane” (Bulgarian dialect for “uttering a sound like tsirik”), is where the name of this district comes from.

A traditional story tells us the following about the New-Martyrs of Orehovo. When the news circulating about the Turks’ atrocities reached the village of Orehovo, villagers hid away: the younger in the forest and the old people, women, and children, in a nearby cave. The Turks sought them for some time. At last they decided to use a ruse. Several men, disguised in women’s clothes, ascended the nearby hillock and started shouting in the pure Bulgarian language: “Whey, come back home, the haitas (scoundrels) have gone away!” One by one, the Orehovo residents began leaving the cave. However, soon the found out they had been tricked and hid away again. Several more times the Turks urged them to come out; and in the end, the chieftain ordered his men to stuff the cave’s exit with pine branches, wet straw, and foliage, and set these on fire. Smoke filled the cave, but the people preferred to die in agony than to abandon their faith. Since that time, this cave has been called the Cheloveshka Dupka (i.e., the Men’s Cave).

On July 8, 1720 (Old Style), two hundred people were martyred for Christ on the square at Raikovo. Here is the testimony of the Historical Journal:

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In 1720, during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III, in the upper hamlet of the village of Raikovo, there lived a Turk from Anatolia, named Selim Hodja. He enjoyed the Sultan’s deep trust. In a report to the latter, he informed him that the Raikovo residents were disloyal subjects of his and were constantly rebelling, disquieting the authorities and impeding the islamisation of the Rhodope population. The Sultan thus ordered that the disobedient villagers be punished. Selim Hodja executed that order and called some two hundred prominent men from Raikovo to the village square, entreating them to accept the Mohammedan faith, in order to soften the sultan’s anger; otherwise, he threatened them with death. The Raikovo notables resolutely rebuffed all exhortations to become Turks and stated that at no cost would they renounce their Faith. Then, on signal, the surrounding Turks came down upon them and killed them all, to the last man. This was on July 8, 1720.

Rejoice, thou village called by the name of Paradise [7], wherein thy loyal children acquired the celestial habitations!

In the Canon of the Service to the Bulgarian New Martyrs, which is already being prepared, their martyric feat is hymned:

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Notables of the hamlet of Raikovo,
With your blood ye sanctified the streets of your home,
Valiantly confessing Christ before the beastly Agarians:
Pray, therefore, unto Christ for us, ye wondrous,
As a bicenteniary choir before the Throne of God. [8]

On that same day in the area of Polyane (Meadows), the Turks hanged the parish priest of the village of Ezerovo (Lake village), Hieromonk Varlaam the Agiorite. Not a few bright stars of martyric holiness have shone over our much-suffering land from the Holy Mount! [9]

We learn about the New Martyrs of Veyevo from the recounting of their suffering. The Historical Journal notes only the year of their feat: 1669. This probably happened at Paschaltide. The story relates to us how the priest was caught during Liturgy. The Turks encircled the village. In the church, they caught part of the population, too. They offered them the opportunity to accept the “right faith.” The priest refused and was the first to be cut to pieces–right in the church. Terrible moments ensued. Those who refused to accept Islam were killed on the spot. Yet, most of the population managed to escape to the neighbouring woods. Only five families accepted Mohammedanism. Infuriated by this, the enslavers burned the village on the Day of St. Elias.

We find traces of martyrdom in the village of Koutlovo (today’s Slaveino), as well. Here is a story of such a martyrdom:

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It was late spring and dawn was breaking. The village had just awakened. Shepherds goaded the herds uphill to pasture. Villagers were preparing for a toilsome day. Suddenly, the Turks came like a billow–some mounted on horses, others on foot, with yatagans and daggers drawn. They surrounded the village’s makhalas [10]. All were frightened and tried to escape wherever their feet would take them. Many hid in the woods; but some failed to do so. Some years ago, S. Kisyov, from the village of Koutela, told his grandson Delyu Ivanov that, during the time of “deprivation of Faith,” there were thirty people who refused to accept the Turkish faith. They were surrounded and massacred on the bank of the Veyevo River. Those arrested were shut in the Alamov house, men and women separately. There followed terrible moments! Beating, tortures, torment! Tearing of hair, stabbing with knives in the chest, and once more, forced conversions to Mohammedanism!

Holy new martyrs of Kutlovo, pray to God for your nation!

A man involuntarily shudders before the majesty of the most comely girl from Oustovo, who was martyred for Christ. It was long ago. A Turkish posse gathered the residents of the Rhodopian village of Oustovo before the church of St. Nicholas to convert them to Mohammedanism. However, no one wanted to accept the Islamic faith. Then an order was issued that the disobedient be slaughtered immediately. First they cut off the priest’s head, then the sexton’s. Death befell other men, too. Convinced that there would be no more resisters against islamisation, the Turks stopped the massacre. It was exactly then that the loveliest maiden from Oustovo confronted the blood-thirsty chief of the horde. “Be it even that I die, you damned oppressor, I am not giving up my faith!” the fearless maiden shouted, running towards the highest cliff above the village. Other maidens and brides ran after her, too. They all preferred to throw themselves into the frightful abyss and to preserve their chastity. Dauntless in chastity, and chaste in dauntlessness! Old people say to this very day that the red stains on the rocks are dried-up trickles of blood from the brave Oustovo girls and brides.... Holy new martyrs of Oustovo, pray to God for us!

Does anybody today still remember the Martyrs Misho and Gadjo? Their names, child-like in a way, are beautiful in the radiance of their confession. Misho’s makhala, in the village of Vulkosell, in the Blagoevgrad region, has preserved to this very day the story of their martyrdom. Some ten years Misho and Gadjo led the makhala in its persistent opposition against Islam. One day, a Turkish posse surrounded the neighbourhood, captured all the men, and brought them to the farmyard of the two brothers. Then they lighted Gadjo’s furnace and the Turkish commander shouted: “Whoever does not wish to become a Moslem shall go into the furnace!” Villagers were taken aback before this new Nabuchodonosor. They froze in their places and turned their eyes to Misho and Gadjo. But the latter were resolute and adamant. And as there was no possibility of resistance, the sons of Grandfather Vulko chose death. First Misho, and after him Gadjo too, threw himself into the dazzling flames. Paying homage to the martyric resolution of the two brothers, the villagers named the neighbourhood after the elder–Misheva makhala (Misho’s quarter). Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church was adorned with two new beacons!

In the village of Kostadinovo, there lived a lovely lass, named Maria. Together with other maidens, she made for the monastery on Mount Ostrets to escape islamization. But when they arrived there, they found the monastery plundered and the monks slaughtered. The maidens decided to hide in a cave in Buhlyovitsa (the “Owls’ Cave”). They arrived there and spent the night in it. In the morning, they saw that the whole neighborhood was blocked by janisaries. Maria decided not to surrender and fall into their hands. Rather, she climbed on one of the big rocks and threw herself in the gaping abyss. Ever since, that place has been referred to as Mariina Livada (“Maria’s Meadow”). And the Holy Martyr Maria, who preferred celestial to earthly beauty, has become an intercessor for the whole Bulgarian nation!

Here again, as in the similar cases indicated above, there may arise a misunderstanding: Suicide is a sin, is it not? How are we then to consider Maria a martyr? St. Dimitrii of Rostov, in his Lives of the Saints, describes the martyrdom of St. Pelagia, who lived in the time of the impious Emperor Diocletian (A.D. 243 - 313). When the house where Pelagia lived was surrounded, she asked the warriors to wait. They agreed. The Martyr then stood facing eastwards, spread her arms to heaven, and fervently prayed to God not to be handed over to the warriors but to go back home to Him, chaste and unblemished. Afterwards, she dressed in her best garments and threw herself from the roof of her house, giving up her soul to God. St. Pelagia is commemorated on October 8/21. Martyred virgins quite often preferred such a death to the lust of the conquerors.

One especially venerated martyr from the Rhodope region is St. Tija-Maria. Born into an islamized Bulgarian family, Hatije came back to the bosom of the Orthodox Church because her grandmother Matevitza, whom she remembered, was also a Bulgarian Christian. In order to keep the secret of Hatije’s baptism, it took place in the old Chapel in Vulkoushin’s barn. In that barn, there was a huge wooden keg, in which the priest Fr. Kostadin (the future Bishop Hilarion, Metropolitan of Xanthi), who lived in Memka’s house with the Radkovs, baptised the girl. The new Christian girl kept this secret for a whole year, sending candles and prosphora to the Church through other people, while praying and making prostrations at home.

But by and by, the rumor of her conversion to the Orthodox Faith spread throughout the village. Women secretly called her Tija-Maria, because her Christian name was Maria. Her brothers happened to learn of this and, coming to Derekyoi, tortured her; but she denied having been baptised. The next year Tija-Maria was preparing for Pascha: she kneaded some prosphora, twined up candles, painted eggs red, baked bread figures of dolls and a sheep-fold, and awaited the holiday. Her brothers, who lived in another village, came secretly to see if the rumor was true. On Great Thursday, she returned from church and went to her neighbours, while her brothers entered her home. They found the eggs, the sheep-fold, and the burning candles, fully convinced she had turned giaour. Her brothers hid in the barn. In the evening, Tija-Maria came home and, after extended prayer, lay down and slept. In her sleep, ber brothers half suffocated her, filling her mouth with rags; they took her in front of the house, under a big, blossoming plum-tree, where they shot her dead with two shots. In the morning, the women sent their children to see what had happened in Tija’s house. They saw her lying dead under the blossoming plum. She remained so for three days; none had enough courage to approach the dead body. Later, they planted a rose bush on he grave. And on St. George’s day, women would go to pick flowers from Tija’s grave, which were kept for a “cure” throughout the year.

The chronicler of the Bulgarian Golgotha of 1876, McGahan, describes, in his book Turkish Atrocities in Bulgaria, many instances of the martyrdom of Bulgarians. On page 5, he mentions to a priest killed by the Turks. Raina Knyaginya’s father, also a priest, was killed by the Turks together with some one hundred other people inside the church itself, while performing the Divine Services (p. 38).

Does Bulgaria remember her Hieromartyr Fr. Todor Peev? Here is McGahan’s narration of his martyric death:

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In Panagyurishte, we were shown the ruins of the Church, and at the place where the throne once was, there was a heap of charred bones. Over them was a bunch of flowers. These were the remains of priest Todor Peev, an eighty-five-year-old man whom the Turks tortured in the hope of extracting money from him. They then they tortured him in the most refined manner, as only the Turks are able to, and they finally burned him in front of the altar. (p. 45).

They told us further of the martyric death of an old man, Tzvyatko Boyadjiev, a well-known philanthropist who had donated a great deal of money for a school, fed at his own expense, during the winter, a number of the village’s widows and orphans, and, in general, favored with his generosity both Christians and Turks. He was captured, his eyes were plucked out, and after fearsome tortures, he was burned alive. Such a fate awaited the other priest, Father Nestor, too, whose martyrdom resembles that of St. Jacob the Persian. The Turks had hoped to get “some money” from him, too, and for this reason they cold-bloodedly cut finger after finger from him, until the turn came for both of his hands and his head (ibid.).

It is a mystery to us as to what the last prayers and sobs of those Bulgarian sufferers were, but their loyalty to faith and nation is deeply moving and edifying. They might just as well have renounced Christ, and the Turks would have surely granted them their lives and let them go in peace. They could have bowed their heads down and said: “Take us wherever you want....” But they did not! But the “Turks know neither pity,” McGahan writes further on, “nor compassion; in this they are lower even than wild beasts, since tigers, its is said, never touch the little ones of a species, whereas the Turks ruthlessly took new-born babes from their cradles with their bayonets and, tossing them from bayonet onto bayonet, threw them in the faces of their crying mothers. They carried children through the streets, skewered on bayonets, so that their little heads and arms hung over the gun muzzles, bleeding profusely on their butchers. At last they cut the children’s heads off and made their friends carry these heads through the streets.” (p. 46-47).

Let us also recall the killing of the infants in Bethlehem. They were killed because of Herod’s monstrous suspicion, by his hope to eliminate a would-be rival for the throne–O, such madness and pitiable lust for power!–, while these Bulgarian babes were killed because of the cruelty of the infidels, because of the ferocity of evil spirits, who were intolerant to anything Christian! The former never knew Him for whom they were dying; but the latter, being members of Christ’s Church, were already the target of mankind’s ancient enemy, the target of his pernicious designs and insidiousness.

Incidentally, it would behoove is to cite the decorum of the maidens of this time, so as to see how Christianity adorned with the snow-white blossoms of their virtues our much-tormented nation.

At the time of the fall of the small town Perushtitsa, the brides and girls were told to dress in men’s clothes and to cut off their hair, so they could at least avoid defilement by the blood-thirsty bashi-bazouks. Some obeyed this; but there were also others, who being ashamed to dress in men’s clothes, remained in their maiden’s attire.

These memories are touching and at the same time somewhat doleful, if one brings to mind the young of contemporary Bulgarian society! It is now uncommon to see a girl in “a maiden’s attire.” Girls seem to be ashamed of the opposite thing: of looking humble and chaste. What a shocking contrast! Give ear to what this foreigner McGahan wrote about the Bulgarian women of past times: “The chastity of Bulgarian women is well known to everyone; they suffer not just for the ensuing ignominy, but even more for the sin committed.... Not a single girl who is so disgraced sees herself as worthy of getting married....” In our lascivious era, our hearts are too hard to fathom the full anguish of these pure souls at defilement, of which many nowadays imbibe with delight. The martyrdom in the hearts of these maidens of times past is alien to us! Their anguish is our joy! Their shame is our glory! But let us now bow to their suffering and become ashamed before the majesty of these wonderful souls–souls permeated from their childhood by virtuousness and chastity!

In the Life of St. George the New of Sofia, compiled in 1539 by the Russian monk Elija (Iliya), we read, among other things, the following sentence: “And many shed their blood for Christ.” Who were these “many”? Who has ever heard of their martyrdom? Concerning the days of Sultan Selim I (1512-1520), called by the author of his biography “a butcher, debauchee and wine-drinker,” we read: “A fierce evil..., fierce and exceedingly doleful times.” On pages 1476-1496 of the Dryanovo copy of Paisiy’s History of Slavs and Bulgarians, we find another testimony to martyrdoms in the days of this Sultan:

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Then Tsar Selim I dethroned the patriarch before all and killed him. Then, going from Tsarigrad to Turnovo, he issued the following order: Any nobleman who agrees to accept the Turkish faith, let him retain his erstwhile rank; otherwise, should anyone fail to agree, all of his wealth and power over strongholds is to be taken away from him; let him be like any of the simple folks. Thus, whoever accepted the Turkish faith, the same retained his high rankl and those who refused, they were killed. And Selim killed many noblemen, while from others he took their wealth and possessions. He razed the churches to their foundations, and wherever there were holy relics, he burned them; others he took to Tsarigrad.... It was in that time that the Holy Martyr George the New suffered.

A new period of martyrdom opened in the second half of nineteenth century, during the April Uprising [11]. We find numerous testimonies about these new sufferers for the Faith in various archives and in literature from 1876 and the years thereafter. For instance, in Naiden Gerov’s archive, there is a report regarding a girl from Perushtitsa who was stabbed to death by the Turks: “The Turks took to Karash Yara a beautiful girl from Perushtitsa, compelling her to turn Turk; when she refused, they stabbed her through with a sabre.” How many are the young girls like this flower of Christ, who “gave up their heads but not their Faith”? [12]. O, Holy New Martyr of Christ, pray to God for us!

That single occasion points to other innumerable cases of martyrdom during that period of cruel suffering. “Two girls from [the town of] Plovdiv, after wandering for a long time, decided to come here (to Plovdiv). At the Mistrobolu’s craftiness, two Turks ran them through with a sabre, after forcing them to turn Turk”. Twelve Christians from Novo Selo–among them two priests, one aged 80–were killed on June 8, 1876. From a newspaper report by “De Vestine,” published in the “Le Figaro” on July 30, 1876, we learn of another heart-rending martyrdom:

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They were seizing abandoned children who had been orphaned. They had sold many and had no more buyers for them. They were going somewhere else to offer their merchandise, whose numbers grew with every street child they met on their way. The little children, tired out and dying for food, were no longer able to follow their butchers, and so the annihilation began. Someone pointed out there might be European children among them, too, and so the chiefs ordered that those who were not Bulgarian not be touched. A bashi-bazouk came up with a clever idea, and it was decided to make the children cross themselves. Whoever crossed himself in the Eastern (Orthodox) manner were strangled.

The way that these lambs of Christ were chosen is worthy of note; only those who crossed themselves “in the Eastern manner” were chosen. We find a stunning similarity to the martyrdom of our contemporaries, the newly-fallen Serbian martyrs, who have been found with three fingers missing from their right hands! The war waged against the Christian Faith, which has been preserved spotlessly only within the Orthodox Church, is a war literally driven by Satan himself, a war against God–and there are, in it, no common denominators for equating Truth to a lie. By glorifying our New Martyrs, we once again confess their Faith as our Faith, without which, in the words of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Clement (Drumev) of Turnovo, “there is no Bulgaria”!

Someone might rightly ask: Is it correct to glorify as Martyrs people who did not confess Christ before their death? There is a psychological explanation of this. In the words of McGahan, “these people (the Christians) will not enter into the bosom of the Moslem faith, and this is why Turks view them as foreign, as enemies.” Is not the murder of “the foreigner” and “the enemy” according to the faith not martyrdom for Christ? Who can reveal to us God’s ways! Is not the cause of our land’s contemporary suffering the Faith of our Fathers, too, as well as our Orthodox confession? Thus, the bloodless martyrdom of our days is even more frightful, since we fail to realize the fact that Bulgaria is being martyred because of Christ, because of the remnants, however insignificant, of true Faith and true chastity in this country: because of the fact that, in Bulgaria, there still exist supposed “numskulls” who will not worship our the Baal of our day, a hodgepodge of delusions, blatant materialism, and the religious depersonalisation thereof. So, why should not those who have suffered for being a sliver in the eyes of the Ismailites not be regarded as Christian martyrs, too? Let us recall the martyrdom of our Holy Fathers of Sinai and Rhaytha. The torturers wanted, then, nothing but their money.... O, confessors of the Faith of our Fathers, forgotten Martyrs of the Bulgarian nation, who spent your lives in an earthly Gehenna, and who sanctified with your blood this earth, which is burdened by men’s countless sins, pray unto our Lord for your long-suffering nation!

NOTES:

• Cf. Rev. 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
  ** Here “Romania” means “Thrace,” the South-central part of Bulgaria.

[1] From the “Bead-roll of the Kapinovo Monastery.” P. Petrov, On the Trails of Violence, Vol. II, p. 117.

[2] Petrov, ibid., p.163.

[3] V. Kisselkov, “Metropolitan Grigoriy Tzamblak,” Sofia, 1946, p. 54.

[4] Cf. Bishop Partenii of Levkia, Lives of the Bulgarian Saints, Volumes I and II, Sofia, 1979.

[5] The Rhodopes are the most extensive of Bulgaria’s mountains. They constitute a huge labyrinth of hills of different length and direction. The slopes are not steep and are filled with wooded valleys and lush pastures. Their peaks are not very high. The highest peak is Perelik: 2191 meters. The name “Rhodope” is derived from the name of the Thracian goddess Rhodopa and dates back to the time of Homer.

[6] According to the annals of the St. Peter Monastery in Pazardjik, published by G. Dimitrov. The Principality of Bulgaria Along Historic, Geographic and Ethnographic Dimensions, Part I, Plovdiv, 1894, p. 111.

[7] In Bulgarian, “rai” means “Paradise.”

[8] Translated by Novice Petko.

[9] A. Poptodorov. “From the Past of the Rhodope,” in the “Rhodopean Review,” Vol. II (Nos. 1-2), pp. 12-15, “Historical Journal.”

[10] A traditional Bulgarian way of building houses: a cluster of houses, either in a group, village, or separate, and usually in the mountains. A “mahala” can also mean a “hamlet,” a very tiny village of four or five houses.

[11] To suppress an uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1876, the Turks massacred thousands of Bulgarians.

[12] A paraphrase of a famous Bulgarian folksong: “Givest thou, Yovo of the Balkan, givest thou the lovely Yana (Yovo’s sister) to the Turkish faith./I would rather give my eyes than the lovely Yana to the Turkish faith.” And when they took his eyes, hands, and legs, he exclaimed to the Turks, as they left with his sister: “Good-bye to thee, lovely Yana, I have no eyes to see thee, no hands to hold thee....” A sad, but true story of a past which, modern historians prefer to call simply “the time of Turkish domination,” denying that any such martyrdoms took place.

[尼古拉前执事]

New-Martyr St. Constantine,
the former-Muslim from Mitylene,
June 2, 1819

Constantine, whose Muslim name we do not know, was born to Muslim parents, on the island of Mitylene, in the village of Psilometopon. His father died when he was quite young. His mother therefore saw to his Muslim upbringing.

At the age of fifteen, Constantine was afflicted with smallpox, which caused him to go blind. Taking pity on him, a pious Orthodox Christian woman asked Constantine’s mother for permission to take him to a nearby Orthodox Christian sacred font (hagiasma). The woman washed Constantine in the sacred font and he was cured.

Shortly afterwards, his mother remarried and moved to the city of Magnesia in Asia Minor. His stepfather, despite being a Muslim (Muslims are forbidden to drink wine), proved to be a drunk and beat him regularly. Consequently, Constantine left home with his three brothers. He and his oldest brother moved to the city of Smyrna, where they opened a vegetable store.

Constantine assisted his brother and was engaged in delivering vegetables. This duty often took him to the headquarters of the Metropolitan of Smyrna, Kallinikos II, where he would often stop and listen to religious readings. Slowly but surely his love for the Christian message he heard grew. In addition, he made friends with two Christian young men with whom he grew very close.

At that time plague was rampant in Smyrna. All three young men went to the Church of Saint George and lighted candles, praying for deliverance. But a strange thing then happened. Saved from the plague, Constantine nevertheless turned and began living a very dissolute life. But he soon came to his senses and left for the Holy Mountain.

Constantine first stopped at the New Skete. His arrival on the Holy Mountain caused quite a stir because he was a Muslim. The fathers of the Monastery of Saint Paul were reluctant to accept him, fearing repercussions from the Muslim authorities, and passed him on to the Monastery of the Great Lavra where he was also refused admission. From there Constantine went on to the Skete of Saint Anna where he met and spoke with Father Chrysanthos. Leaving Saint Anna, Constantine headed back to the Great Lavra, but on the way he changed his mind and went instead to the fathers at Kapsokalyvia.

There a certain monk named Gabriel advised him to return to the Great Lavra. But the fathers of the Great Lavra were still afraid to allow him to stay with them. So Constantine was forced to return to the Kapsokalyvia. There he met Patriarch Gregorios V, who retired to the Holy Mountain between his three tenures as patriarch (the Ottomans sometimes forcibly removed Constantinopolitan Patriarchs they did not like, and, in some cases, called them back later).

Patriarch Gregorios spoke with Constantine to test his sincerity in wishing to become a Christian. The patriarch said to him, “Why did you, young man, come to us, the despised ones? What do you seek from us who have nothing, as you can see? Are we not the lowliest of all nations, whereas you have the kingdom and the glory and enjoy all the world? Why are you not satisfied when so many desire to enjoy the temporary life which you seem to despise. Come to your senses.”

These words caused Constantine to break out into tears. Seeing this, the patriarch realized his sincerity. So he said to him, “Soon I will come to the Kapsokalyvia and I will baptize you, only prepare yourself, keep yourself pure and, above all, tell no one.”

Constantine returned to Kapsokalyvia and waited. But he soon became unhappy over the delay in his baptism. His elder, seeing him in this condition, was convinced of his sincerity and readiness and baptized him, giving him the name of Constantine.

After a short time, Constantine went to the Iveron Monastery to venerate the miraculous icon of the Theotokos Portaitissa (Keeper of the Portal) and then went on to the Skete of Saint John the Forerunner where he heard there was an experienced elder who had prepared many for martyrdom. In addition there were in the skete newly-arrived relics of New-Martyrs. Constantine spent time with the elder and returned with a downcast face to his own elder at the Kapsokalyvia. When asked why he appeared so, Constantine replied, “There is no other reason for my downcast look except that I reverenced the relics of the New-Martyrs, and my soul became completely attached to them. My mind became captive as you see me now, and the desire to imitate their deeds occupied my spirit.”

Hearing this, the elder glorified God and said, “Blessed be God, my son, if this is to your liking; only God the Omnipotent will initiate and end what you will do.”

He then invited a spiritual father to begin Constantine’s preparation for his martyrdom. Constantine began fasting for forty days, eating only once a day.

A short time later, Constantine decided to return to Magnesia in Asia Minor where he intended to visit his sister whom he hoped to convince to share his faith in Jesus Christ by having her baptized. Meanwhile Constantine went to his spiritual Father for confession and was then given permission to fulfil his desire to become a martyr.

Secretly carrying letters of recommendation from Patriarch Gregorios V, Constantine sailed to Kydonies. But there were no ships sailing immediately for Smyrna, his destination. In the interval, in order to live, Constantine sold raisins and other dry fruit on the streets until a ship could be found.

One day a servant of the aga recognized him and asked an Orthodox Christian standing nearby, “Who is that man?”

“I do not know,”was the answer. “He recently came here, and I do not know from where.”

That night the Orthodox Christian sought out Constantine and told him, “I heard this Muslim saying that he knows you, and you are a Muslim. Is it true, or is he trying to undermine you?”

“God forbid,”was Constantine’s reply, “I am an Orthodox Christian.”That night, unable to sleep, Constantine decided to leave in the morning. He found a ship which was sailing to Smyrna and boarded it, but he was observed by the same Muslim who had recognized him, and the man had him put off the ship and taken to the aga. The latter asked Constantine who he was and how he got there. To this Constantine replied, “I have come from afar and I am on my way to Anatolia. I am an Orthodox Christian and my name is Constantine.”

The aga replied, “You are lying to me. What would you say if someone can be found who knows you as a Muslim, what will you say?”

At that moment, the Muslim appeared and said to Constantine, “Do not I know that you are a brother of a Muslim with whom you were in the vegetable business in Smyrna? How can you lie to us?”

To this Constantine responded boldly and in a loud voice, “I was a Muslim, like you impious and lawless ones, but because I was enlightened by God and was informed that the Muslim faith is transient and only the Orthodox faith is true and pure, and because I recognized my own interest, I became an Orthodox Christian to gain eternal life.”

Upon hearing this, the aga ordered Constantine beaten and imprisoned until he came to his senses. He then wrote to the aga of Moschonesia, asking him to come immediately because he was needed. When the aga arrived a few days later, he was told of Constantine who was brought before him. Questioned once more and urged to return to Islam, Constantine refused and was beaten severely and thrown back into prison, where many Christians visited him in secret. Constantine asked them to pray for him, so he would die a faithful death.

Meanwhile, a torturer who had tortured George the New-Martyr began applying the same painful measures to Constantine. He devised an iron hat which was heated and then placed on Constantine’s head. Then lead balls wrapped in a band were pressed up against his temples almost causing his eyes to pop out of his head.

A few days later, Constantine was brought before the vali (another Muslim official) and was asked if he had changed his mind. He answered, “You are truly tyrants, wild animals, and not rational human beings. But untie me and I will show you who I am.”

Constantine was untied, and immediately he made the sign of the Cross and said in a loud voice, “Did you see who I am? So please do not think that I will change my mind and become like you.”

Whereupon the aga of Moschonesia became very angry, took out his knife, and cut Constantine cross-wise on his chest. At that moment Constantine’s clothes tore and a gold Cross appeared on his chest. This infuriated the Muslims present even more. They fell upon him and beat him. They then enclosed his feet in stocks and bound him with chains. At night he was suspended from the ceiling.

The aga finally realized that Constantine could not be forced or persuaded to deny his Orthodox Christian Faith. He decided to send him to Constantinople, to the Admiral of the Fleet, who questioned Constantine when he arrived. But Constantine remained steadfast and was sentenced by the Admiral to be incarcerated in a bath house. There he was visited by a spiritual father who said to him, “To witness is a good thing, Constantine, but think well on how painful the tortures of the infidel Muslims are. Perhaps you will weaken later. If you wish we can see to your release.”Constantine, however, replied, “Holy father, look at me.”He then pushed aside his tunic and revealed his covered parts and thighs. From the many tortures he had undergone, there were huge lacerations on both sides of his legs, both in front of his body and behind, which must have caused him unimaginable pain. Seeing this, the spiritual father reverenced Constantine who said to him, “See that no one dares give any money to free me, because in a few days my struggle will end as the Theotokos has revealed to me. But please give His All-Holiness, Lord Gregorios (the Patriarch) my greetings - he knows who I am - and ask him to pray for me.”The next morning Constantine was interrogated again, but remained faithful to Jesus Christ and was beaten once more. At the third questioning, the approach was different. Constantine was offered a high position and riches, but to this he said, “Aga, if you too were to come to recognize the interest of you soul, you would be a Orthodox Christian.”

In response, the aga hit Constantine on the chin, ordered him out of the room, and immediately sentenced him to death. His ordeal had lasted forty long days.

After he was hanged, Constantine was buried in a Muslim graveyard because he had been circumcised, but more importantly, the Muslims did it so that he would be inaccessible to Orthodox Christians who would wish to recover his body and honor him.

Thus Constantine the former-Muslim from Psilometopon, Mitylene sacrificed his life in the city of Constantinople for the love of Jesus Christ on June 2, in the year 1819.

[尼古拉前执事]

New-Martyr St. Demetrios of Philadelphia,
+June 2, 1657

Demetrios, the newly-appeared Martyr of Christ was born in Philadelphia of Asia Minor and was a member of one of the city’s most illustrious families, being the son of Doukas the priest. Upon his father’s death, his mother undertook to rear him in the instruction and admonitions of the Lord until his eighteenth year. Since the youth was modest by nature, handsome in appearance and gifted, certain Hagarenes took undue notice of his comeliness and, motivated by malice, seized him. Now either through trickery or promises of gifts and honor, or perhaps by threats of torture, they persuaded the immature Demetrios to renounce Christ. Wherefore, he was turned over to the service of a leading Hagarene of Philadelphia. He attained considerable favor with this Moslem, so much so, that within a few years he acquired esteem, honor, and wealth, including livestock and property. Furthermore, since he was courageous physically, he was elected Commander-in-Chief of the city’s militia. By virtue of these achievements, he also became engaged to one of the foremost Moslem maidens of Philadelphian society.

By God’s grace, when Demetrios reached the age of 25 the Lord beckoned him. The godly Demetrios began to recall his former piety and faith. He perceived the Moslems’deceptive religion to which he had succumbed. He sighed from the depths of his heart and cried within himself:

“O the ignorance of me, the forelorn one! Woe to my misfortune, accursed Demetrios! How many years have I spent in this darkness? How was I beguiled and denied my Lord? Nevertheless, I will again confess Him before men, because I know a similar predicament befell many martyrs of old, whom I will have to help me make my confession of faith.”

With this firm resolve and armed by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, he hastened to the contest of martyrdom. “Hearken, lords and princes of this city: It is twelve years since I have been blinded and not able to see the light of my Orthodox Faith. Now, however, my mind has been enlightened by the Holy Spirit and instructed by Christ, King of All, my true God, Who delivered Himself up to death for our love, and I learned that the Moslem religion is false and can do nought for the soul’s salvation. For this reason I deny and detest it, and I confess and worship Christ as true God, making me a Christian as before with the name of Demetrios. By this name and for the love of my Christ, I am prepared to be sacrificed and die. Therefore do not tarry, but cut my body to pieces. I reverence Christ, my Saviour; as for your prophet, I abhor and hold him in contempt.”

The holy Martyr then kept his peace. Following these searing utterances the Hagarenes set upon him, and with brutal force pushed and dashed him to the earth, furiously administering 315 strokes with rods. The Martyr joyously lifted his voice and intoned:

“Glory to Thee our God, glory to Thee. Help me, Saint Demetrios and Saint George. Come quickly, Saint of God, Nicholas!”

After this punishment, they threw the Martyr into prison for, perchance, Demetrios would recant. That same evening the Hagarenes summoned their teachers and a certain Arabian magician and sent them to the prison to try to persuade or dupe him by various ruses or black magic to forsake his piety. But they all travailed in vain. In the morning the governor released him from prison and dismissed the case. But the Martyr, seeing that he was thus deprived of the crown of martyrdom for which he earnestly yearned, went to a cafe where a large crowd of Hagarenes were gathered. In a loud voice he commenced to reprove them:

“O miserable Hagarenes, what do you believe? That your faith is correct and the truth? Thrice-wretched ones, you are mistaken and deceived! How blind you are and do not see the light of truth! I, however, believe in Christ, the true God, Who took upon himself all the sins of the world; Him alone do I worship.”

The Saint ended his protest by removing the white fez from his head and his green tunic, and dashing them to the earth. As he trampled upon these items, he remarked:

“Just as I step on these objects which are a sign of your religion I trod upon your faith and laws, renouncing and loathing them.”

Straightway, the Hagarenes pounced upon him as lions gnashing their teeth. Some rushed with clubs and others with stones. Striking the holy Martyr, they cast him to the ground as dead. At that point many believed him to have expired. But the holy Martyr was strengthened by our Lord Jesus Christ and even though he was sprawled out half-dead, he prayed noetically. Whereupon, when he overheard the Moslems, who presumed him dead, planning to burn him in the fire, he left off his prayer and in an instant was on his feet, making them the following offer:

“I have money to give you so you may purchase wood to burn me. So do not think that I died, for as is evident, my Christ has endued me with strength.”

They could not endure to behold the Martyr risen and speaking. They stabbed him three times in such away that the knife penetrated from the back through his chest. Notwithstanding, the Martyr of Christ did not surrender his spirit, but was kept alive by Divine power.

As they conducted Demetrios to the site where they would commit him to the flames, one of those present smote the Martyr in the head with his knife, cleaving his face into two. O the strange wonder and superhuman courage of the Martyr! He held the divided parts of his skull with his hands, and raising his eyes to heaven invoked the assistance of Saint Demetrios, and fused the two halves of his head perfectly. When the thrice-accursed ones beheld the miracle, they wounded him a second time in another section of the head creating a new fissure. Once again, the Martyr healed the disjoined halves as before. The restoration to his original state left no trace of blood, nor the appearance of a scar from the mortal injuries. Nevertheless the savages, instead of becoming tamed at witnessing such an unparalleled phenomenon, pushed and kicked the Saint in the direction where they intended to reduce him to ashes. While en route, the Martyr spied a Christian church. He knelt and with utter humility and reverence cried aloud with tears streaming down his face:

“My Lord Jesus Christ, today I am coming to Thee in order to become Thy sacrifice, and I surrender my spirit into Thy hands.”

The executioners could not tolerate the sight of him so they struck the Martyr with a rapier, severing the calves of his legs. This time, Christ’s athlete finished his course and attained the crown of martyrdom on the 2nd of June in the year 1657.

Quickly the Hagarenes collected wood and coal from a bathhouse and set fire to it, and into the conflagration they heaved the Martyr’s body. Lo the wonder! The fire divided into two and did not threaten the Martyr in the least but left him intact and whole. Yet even beholding this marvel increased their stubbornness, and they took five earthen jugs of oil and poured them over the flames. Yet neither by this attempt nor any other contrivance, would the flames be goaded to come in contact with the Martyr. Finally they were at a loss at how to accomplish their heinous deed. In desperation they poked at the wood in the fire, and with the iron implements and accessories of the bath, they hacked the struggler’s relics into pieces. After his death the sacred relics performed, and continue to work, many miracles for those who approach them with faith. By his intercessions may we too be made worthy of the Kingdom of the Heavens. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

New-Martyr Nicholas of Metsovon,
May 16, 1617
Saint Nicholas of Metsovon

NICHOLAS, the holy New Martyr and athlete of Christ, was born in Metsovon of Epirus of pious parents. While still rather young he left his village for Trikala in Thessaly, where he found a job with a baker.

After a year or so, several Moslems coerced him to deny Christ through chickanery, promises and by threats and slander. Alas! After this happened he moved back to his home town to resume a Christian life. A year later he loaded his horse with pine wood and went with certain of his countrymen to Trikala to sell their loads. There he passed by a Turkish barber (who was the aforementioned baker's neighbor) who took hold of Nicholas, dragged him aside and criticized him severely for becoming a Christian again. Nicholas panicked and gave him the whole load of wood and implored the barber not to expose him. The barber told Nicholas that he would say nothing if he promised to bring him a load of wood every year for the rest of his life. Nicholas quickly agreed, and every year he brought wood to the barber.

However, Nicholas regretted the pact he had made, and did not wish to give him wood anymore. Instead he made up his mind to give up his life in order to repudiate his previous denial of Christ. Straightway he went to his spiritual father and disclosed his intention. But he tried to prevent Nicholas, advising him to abandon this plan for perhaps he would be unable to endure the tortures and would fall a second time. He reminded Nicholas of the Lord's words: ...the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Undaunted, the blessed one remained firm in his intention, saying that he based his hope on the Lord to strengthen him to bravely withstand the scourgings which he would undergo for His love, and to remain unshakeable in his faith, defeating all his enemies and adversaries. Therefore, beholding blessed Nicholas’ fervor and the eagerness which he possessed for martyrdom, he sustained the lad with many exhortations and blessings and then dismissed him.

With such an iron will and resolve the Saint traveled to Trikala, where the barber seized him by the throat and defiantly demanded:

“Faithless one, where is the wood you promised me!”

Nicholas looked him in the eye, saying:

“I owe you nothing.”

The Turk was incensed at this and cried in a loud voice, denouncing Nicholas. Consequently many Turks ran over to learn what was the matter. As a result, they immediately arrested the righteous one and viciously struck and shoved him all the way to court. In court they testified that he had renounced Christianity and accepted their religion. Under questioning the Martyr responded:

“I was born a Christian, I am a Christian, and a Christian I wish to die. Therefore, I will never deny my faith, no matter how many martyrdoms I am subjected to.”

Being therefore unable to compel him either by flatteries or threats to comply with their will, they beat the holy Martyr with rods for many hours. Afterwards he was flung into a dark prison where he was given neither food nor water but only tortured more. This the Martyr patiently endured, not only with a brave mind, but even with great joy.

Since the Martyr stood firm in the Faith of Christ, they brought him from prison for a second appearance before the judge. Again Nicholas professed loudly and clearly that Christ is true God, that he believed in Him and under no circumstances would he deny Him. The judge was convinced of his irretractable belief and ordered a huge fire to be lit in the middle of the marketplace. Nicholas was to be thrown into the flames. Therefore the holy Martyr was escorted to the place of execution and cast therein, glorifying God. He surrendered his spirit on May 16, 1617.

A potter who was moved by piety went by night to the place to find the holy relics. He saw Hagarenes keeping vigil guarding the relics, gave them a sum of money, and took the sacred head of the Martyr, which was slightly damaged by the fire. He returned to his home and concealed the skull in a place inside the wall for fear of the Turks. Only the members of his household were aware of the secret. With the passage of time the potter died and the precious head remained hidden. Eventually the potter's house was purchased by another Christian named Melandros.

Every year in the evening of the day when the Saint accomplished his martyrdom, Melandros would notice a bright light emanating from a certain part of the wall. He was amazed at this wonder. He received a divine revelation in his sleep, disclosing that at the place the light appeared was hidden the holy skull of Nicholas the Martyr. Wherefore, Melandros opened the wall and discovered the relic. Aware of his unworthiness to possess such a treasure in his house, he went to the Monastery of Varlaam at Meteora* where his brother was a monk and offered it in their parents’ memory. There the head of the holy New Martyr Nicholas which brings about countless miracles may be found to this day. We wish to report a few so that you may believe the others.

Once a plague struck Trikala and many died each day. Yet by only its [the relic] presence and consolation, the plague quickly ceased. Similarly, in the village of Distata the inhabitants suffered the same scourge, but they were also delivered by his holy head. Even those of Kalarritai were visited by sickness; and they too were immediately saved by its presence. By the grace of the holy skull locusts were destroyed throughout the countryside and all the fruit preserved unharmed. Both the Christians and the Turks were ecstatic about this miracle, for it occurred not only once or twice but many times, even to this day. Not only the above mentioned type of healings took place, but incurable diseases were wondrously cured in every place that he was invited. Indeed, this and many more occurred.

The martyric relics are to be found at several locations, one of which is at Ioannina, where there is found one-half of the palm of the Saint's hand. By St. Nicholas’ salutary intercessions, may we be rescued from every necessity and affliction. Amen.

*This Monastery is situated at Meteora within the District of Stagon near Kalambaka, and is built on tall and precipitous geological rock formations.

Taken from The New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke, Translated by Leonida J. Papadopulos, Georgia Lizardos (Mother Mariam), and others. Copyright 1985. All rights reserved.

Note: Another source indicates that St. Nicholas left home at an early age because his parents had died while he was still quite young. It also states that St Nicholas was but twenty-six years old when he gave his life for Christ.