Macarius of Thessaloniki

Venerable Macarius of Thessaloniki, called also Macarius the New, was a monk, a disciple of Patriarch Niphon II of Constantinople, and received the death of a martyr at Thessaloniki, at the hands of the Turks, on 14 September 1507. He is commemorated on 14 September.

His birthplace is not known. It is known that he was a disciple of Patriarch Niphon II, with whom he withdrew to the monastery of Vatopedi. Together with his brother Joasaph, he accompanied Niphon on his journeys through Macedonia and Wallachia. In 1505 they settled at Vatopedi, where they stayed two years.

Macarius then went to Thessaloniki, where he began to proclaim openly to the Turks the teaching of Christ. The Ottomans beat him with sticks, tormented him with knives and dragged him to prison, where his head was cut off on 14 September 1507.