Joseph of Dionysiou

Venerable Martyr Joseph of Dionysiou was a monk of Dionysiou Monastery on Mount Athos, where he shone with the virtues of monastic life. He was an iconographer and painted the icon of the holy Archangels on the iconostasis of the monastery's main church.

In obedience to Abbot Stephen he travelled to Constantinople with Eudocimus, a Christian who had abandoned Orthodoxy and become a Muslim. Eudocimus repented and wished to wipe out his sin through martyrdom. But when faced with torture and death the unfortunate man denied Christ again and blamed Joseph for turning him away from Islam.

Joseph was arrested and threatened with death. Despite many tortures he refused to convert to Islam. He was hanged on 17 February 1819 and so obtained the incorruptible crown of glory.

Some sources give his commemoration as 17 February, others as 14 September or 26 October.