Gregory of Constantinople

Holy Martyr Gregory of Constantinople, a protospatharios, is commemorated among the martyrs who suffered for the holy icons in the year 730, in the time of the iconoclast Emperor Leo the Isaurian (717-741). The calendar commemorates together Julian, Marcian, John, James, Alexis, Demetrius, Photius, Peter, Leontius, the patrician Maria, the protospatharios Gregory and others.

The emperor deposed the holy Patriarch Germanus (715-730) from the patriarchal throne, sent him into exile and unlawfully placed on the throne the iconoclast Anastasius (730-753). By decree, all icons were to be removed from churches and houses and destroyed. In Constantinople, since the time of Saint Constantine the Great, above the so-⁠called Bronze Gate a wonderworking icon of the Saviour, made of bronze, had been set up. The emperor and Patriarch Anastasius ordered it taken down. A soldier set a ladder and climbed up to remove it. The assembled people were outraged by the sacrilege. Among them was the patrician Maria, a woman of noble family, who, followed by many others, rushed to the ladder and pulled it from the wall so that the soldier might not touch the icon. The ladder collapsed, and the soldier fell and was killed. This was on 19 January 730. In the defence of the icon the protospatharios (a commander of soldiers) Gregory and Holy Venerable Martyr the Virgin Theodosia (commemorated on 29 May) also took part.

Learning of it, the emperor put to death many Orthodox, whose names and number only the Lord knows. The protospatharios Gregory also received a martyr's death. But some of the Orthodox of noble birth, Julian, Marcian, John, James, Alexis, Demetrius, Leontius, Photius and Peter, were imprisoned for about eight months and received every day five hundred blows; by the power of Christ they remained alive and bore it with courage. By the emperor's order their faces were burned with red-⁠hot iron and their heads cut off. Holy Maria the patrician, who had not been imprisoned, learning of their death, accepted a martyr's death of her own will. The bodies of the martyrs were buried in the place called Pelagius's, near the church of the Holy Martyr Theodore, and were found incorrupt after one hundred and thirty-⁠nine years.

They are commemorated on 22 August (new style).