Angelis of Chios

Holy New Martyr Angelis of Chios (Angelius) was born at Argos, in the Peloponnese, and worked in the early nineteenth century as a physician in the town of Kușadası. He was beheaded for Christ on 3 December 1813. He is commemorated on 16 December.

Once he was summoned to a debate about faith by a French traveller, who behaved mockingly and spoke ill. Angelis challenged him to a duel and, to show the blasphemer what power true faith gives a Christian, resolved to go out to meet his opponent armed with only a cane. When darkness fell, the insolent foreigner, frightened at his rival's courage, fled, leaving Angelis the victor. The incident moved him to give up his profession and all worldly affairs and to devote himself wholly to prayer at home and to the services.

But on Lazarus Saturday of 1813, the same man who had once been ready to shed his blood for the Name of Christ renounced, for some unknown reason, the faith of his fathers and of his own will became a Muslim. Driven out afterwards from Nauplia and finding shelter on Chios, Angelis came to himself and resolved to repent of the sin he had committed. With bitter tears, calling to his aid all the holy martyrs and confessors, he often went to the tomb of Saint Macarius of Corinth, who had prepared several saints for martyrdom. From that time Angelis lived with the one desire of redeeming his denial with blood. Bursting one day into a Turkish customs post, he confessed himself a Christian before all the soldiers and officials and openly declared his return. Then, cruelly beaten, he was taken to the fortress and there beheaded on 3 December 1813.