Demetrios Manousakis of Moulia

Holy New Martyr Demetrios Manousakis of Moulia was born in the village of Moulia in Crete and was killed for the faith in August 1867, during the Cretan revolt of 1866-1869. He suffered together with two fellow villagers, Apostolos Choiromouridakis and Zacharias Kornilakis.

When the revolt intensified, the Christian families of the village fled. The three men reached the place called Mouliano Poros, where they met an Ottoman patrol. Demetrios and Apostolos were seized at once. Being unarmed, they did not resist, but they refused to renounce their faith and were tortured: their hands, noses and ears were cut off, their eyes put out, and they were put to the sword. Zacharias was left until last, so that he would see the sufferings of the others and break. He did not yield, and his captors dragged him tied to a horse over rocks and branches, then cut off his hands and struck him seven times on the head with a sword.

The faithful buried them in the bed of a nearby stream. According to tradition, three lights appeared above the grave at night, and the martyrs asked in a dream that their bodies be moved to the village church of the Holy Apostles. Their relics were found again in 1946, walled up in a niche of the sanctuary, and gave off a sweet fragrance. At the former resting place a holy spring flows, by which the sick have been healed. In 1981 the relics were placed in the nave of the church, and on 21 August 2011 a new church was consecrated in their honour.

They are commemorated on 16 August (new style) and venerated locally, in Crete.