Micah of Zographou

Venerable Martyr Micah of Zographou (Athos) is counted among the twenty-⁠six venerable martyrs of the Zographou monastery on the Holy Mountain. In 1274 the emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos entered into union with Rome, but most of the monasteries of Athos firmly refused to betray Orthodoxy and rebuked those who had abandoned it. For this the Holy Mountain was struck by invasions of Latin armies and mercenaries, who tortured many monks. The Zographou monastery, inhabited by Bulgarians, was especially vulnerable, since the emperor did not wish to alienate the Greeks and preferred to vent his anger on monasteries of another nation.

Learning in a wondrous way of the approach of the soldiers to the monastery, the abbot Thomas warned the brethren that those who wished to escape should flee, and those who desired martyrdom should stay. Twenty-⁠six people remained: the abbot Thomas, the monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, Jacob, another Jacob, Job, Cyprian, Sabbas, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Menas, Joasaph, Joannicius, Paul, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four lay labourers whose names are not known. They shut themselves in the monastery tower. On arrival the Latin soldiers set fire to the tower. While it burned, the martyrs of Christ sang psalms and the akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God and so gave their souls to God on 10 October, between the years 1274 and 1284. Micah is commemorated on 4 July, on a movable day, with the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Athos.