Joasaph the New

Saint Joasaph the New, venerable martyr, was a monk and disciple of Saint Nephon II, Patriarch of Constantinople, and died a martyr in Constantinople on 26 October. Saint.gr and Sanidopoulos give the year as 1516, while other sources say 1536. His origin is not known.

With Nephon and Nephon's other disciple, Makarios, he travelled to Wallachia and Macedonia, preaching the word of God to a thirsty people, and strove to follow the deeds and labours of his teacher. They then settled at Vatopaidi Monastery on Mount Athos, until the martyrdom of Makarios in 1507. After that Nephon and Joasaph secretly left for Dionysiou Monastery. Joasaph, having reached perfect love for God, wished to give his own life for Christ and told Nephon, who understood this to be the will of God and told him that he would complete his contest of confession in Constantinople.

After the holy repose of Nephon in 1508, Joasaph set out for Constantinople. There he fearlessly preached before Muslims the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the incarnation of the Son and Word of God. The Turks, astonished and enraged, brought him before the judge, and after cruel tortures cut off his head, so that he sealed his confession with blood. A verse says that he joined asceticism to the contest of martyrdom and received a double crown.

He is commemorated on 26 October; at Vatopaidi he is honoured also on 25 October and on 10 July, the feast of all the saints of that monastery.