David

Holy Venerable Martyr David was a monk of the David Gareji Lavra, in Georgia, killed by Lezgins together with the fathers Shio the New, Gabriel and Paul, between 1696 and 1700. He is commemorated on 1 June, old style (14 June, new style).

One evening, after vespers and the meal, a band of Lezgins burst into the monastery, whose abbot was away. They seized the priest-⁠monk Shio, who had charge of the community, together with the monks David, Gabriel and Paul, and put them to death in torments. Those who fled were overtaken and cut down with swords. Blood filled the church and the cells, and the robbers plundered and burned the holy things and hacked the holy icons with an axe. King Erekle and Catholicos John were grieved; with the catholicos' blessing and the king's command, the remains of the martyrs were buried south of the tomb of Saint David of Gareji.