Demetrius Skevophylax

Venerable Demetrius lived in the eighth century and was called skevophylax, that is keeper of the sacred vessels, or sacristan. The Greek Church commemorates him on 25 January.

The memory of Demetrius, called skevophylax, is found in the Byzantine verse synaxaria, for example in the Synaxarion of the Historical Museum, and was then included in the printed Greek Menaia (Venice, 1595). Scholars identify him with Demetrius, the "most God-⁠protected", "most God-⁠beloved" and "most venerable" deacon and skevophylax of the cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, who read at the Seventh Ecumenical Council excerpts from the writings of the holy fathers on holy icons.