Euthymius of Prodromou

Venerable Martyr Euthymius of Prodromou, Mount Athos, was a New Martyr of Christ, born in Demetsana in the Peloponnese and named Eleutherius in Baptism. His parents, Panagiotes and Maria, had five children (George, Christos, John, Eleutherius and Katerina), and he was the youngest.

After school in Demetsana, Eleutherius and his brother John went to Constantinople to enroll in the Patriarchal Academy, and later to Jassy, where their father and brothers were in business. Some time afterward Eleutherius decided to go to Mount Athos to become a monk, but because of a war between Russia and Turkey he could travel only as far as Bucharest, where he stayed with the French consul and then with an employee of the Russian consul. He began to pursue a life of pleasure, putting aside his thoughts of monasticism. When hostilities ceased he set out for Constantinople in the company of some Muslims. On the way he turned from Orthodoxy and embraced Islam; he was circumcised and given the name Reschid. Soon his conscience tormented him for denying Christ, and the other Muslims, noticing the change, restricted his movements and watched him closely.

One day he was seen wearing a cross, and they reported him to the master of the house, Rais Efendi, who favored him and said it was still too early for him to give up all his Christian ways. At Adrianople, on a Saturday, Metropolitan Cyril, who later became Patriarch of Constantinople, was serving Vespers in a church; Eleutherius pretended to have letters for him but sent another man to deliver them. When he asked that man for Christian clothes, the man became suspicious and sent him away. Back in Constantinople, Rais Efendi gave him costly presents to keep him a Muslim, but Eleutherius prayed that God would let him escape. He ran away at the first opportunity and sought out a priest from the Peloponnese who lived near the Patriarchate, but the priest, fearing reprisals, refused to help and sent him away with some advice.

With help from the Russian embassy he boarded a ship to Athos. At the Great Lavra he was chrismated and received back into the Orthodox Church, and was tonsured a monk with the name Euthymius. He read the New Martyrologion of Saint Nicodemus and, inspired by the New Martyrs, became consumed with a desire to wipe out his apostasy with the blood of martyrdom. He went to Constantinople with a monk named Gregory, arriving on 19 March 1814. A few days later, on Palm Sunday, he received Holy Communion, took off his monastic garb, dressed as a Muslim and went to the palace of the Grand Vizier Rusud Pasha. Holding palms in his hand, Euthymius confessed that he was an Orthodox Christian and wished to die for Christ, denounced Mohammed and the Muslim religion, and trampled the turban he had worn, so that the vizier believed he was drunk or mad.

The warrior of Christ assured the vizier that he was in his right mind and not drunk. He was thrown into a dark cell in chains, then brought out after an hour and tempted with flattery and promises of wealth to return to Islam. The saint boldly declared that Islam was a religion of fables and falsehood and that he would not deny Christ again even if tortured and slain. The vizier ordered him beaten and returned to prison. After three hours Euthymius was brought again before Rusud Pasha, who said: "Have you reconsidered, or do you remain stubborn?" Euthymius answered: "There is only one true faith, that of the Orthodox Christians. How can I believe in your false prophet Mohammed?" The vizier realized he would never convince him and ordered him put to death by the sword. When the executioner tried to tie his hands, the saint said: "I came here voluntarily; there is no need to bind my hands. Allow me to meet my death untied." He went to the place of execution joyfully and unafraid, holding a cross in his right hand and palms in his left. There he faced east and prayed, thanking God for making him worthy of martyrdom and praying for his family and friends. He kissed the cross, knelt and bent his neck. The executioner struck with the sword and failed to behead him, struck again and failed, and finally slit the martyr's throat with a knife.

Euthymius was killed about noon on 22 March 1814 in Constantinople. His head is in the Russian monastery of Saint Panteleimon on Athos, and other parts of his relics are at the Skete of Prodromou and Dionysiou Monastery. He is commemorated on 22 March (new style; 4 April on the old calendar).