Daniel of Thassos

Venerable Daniel of Thassos lived in the ninth century, in the time of the iconoclast emperor Leo the Armenian. Devout from childhood, he became from his youth a zealous preacher of the Gospel and a defender of Orthodoxy. As a man he founded a monastery on the little island of Krambousa, next to the island of Thassos; the fame of his virtue brought many monks there from Thassos and elsewhere.

He loved the spiritual life so much, and was so humble, that when the great Ioannikios (4 November) came to Thassos, Daniel left his abbacy and ran to him to learn from his life. Ioannikios tried to hold him back, but yielded; later he sent him back to his monastery, since the monks asked for him insistently and could not find a worthy successor.

Daniel reposed in deep old age and was buried, as he wished, on his little island by the waves, where morning and evening he had sent up his prayers and hymns. He is venerated as patron of the island of Thassos and is commemorated on 12 September.