Luke of Mytilene

Holy Martyr Luke of Mytilene, also called Doukas, died for Christ in 1564 in Mytilene, under Turkish rule. He was a man of fair appearance, pure in body and soul, an enemy of fleshly pleasures. He was a tailor, and the Turkish lords, the aghas and the great men of the city, called him to sew garments for them.

Entering Muslim houses often, he came to be loved by a lady of a great and renowned family. At first she showered him with gifts, then began to speak words of passion. Doukas, pure in soul, was amazed to hear such speeches from a woman of so high a family; he crossed himself, left the palace and did not return, in imitation of Joseph the Fair. She summoned him again and then came to his workshop herself, saying: "If you renounce your faith, I will take you as husband. And if you do not wish to become a Turk, be an Orthodox Greek, but come." She ended by adding that if he did not do as she said, he would lose his head.

Doukas, who had a burning love in his heart for our Lord Jesus Christ, yielded neither to her promises nor to her threats and went to the palace no more. Seeing that the young man would not do her will, the woman was terribly angry and resolved to destroy him. She went to the vizier and said that the tailor had come to her with shameful words and that she had struck him. The vizier promised to do her will and ordered the prefect (the sum-⁠pasha) to condemn him. The prefect first tried kind and flattering words, then ordered cruel tortures. Seeing that he could not force him to accept Islam, the executioners flayed him alive and threw his skin into the sea, and hung him on hooks. So he died, receiving the crown of martyrdom.

He is commemorated on 7 May, according to the Greek calendar. His name is not in today's Menologion of the Russian Church.