Sabbas of Zographou

Holy Venerable Martyr Sabbas of Zographou was one of the twenty-⁠six martyrs burned in the tower of the Zographou Monastery on Athos by Latin troops, between the years 1274 and 1284.

In 1274 the emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos concluded the union with Rome, but most Athonite monasteries firmly refused to betray Orthodoxy and rebuked those who had fallen away. For this the Holy Mountain was visited by Latin troops and mercenaries who tormented many monks. The Zographou Monastery, inhabited by Bulgarians, was especially vulnerable, because the emperor, not wishing to anger the Greeks, preferred to pour out his anger on monasteries of another nation.

Learning by a miracle that soldiers were approaching the monastery, the abbot Thomas told the brotherhood that whoever wished to escape should flee, and whoever desired martyrdom should stay. Twenty-⁠six remained: the abbot Thomas, the monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Michael, Symeon, Hilarion, James, another James, Job, Cyprian, Sabbas, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Mina, Joasaph, Joannicius, Paul, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius and four lay labourers whose names are not known. They shut themselves in the tower of the monastery. Arriving, the Latin soldiers set fire to the tower. While it burned, the martyrs of Christ sang psalms and the Akathist to the Mother of God and gave their souls to God on 10 October, between 1274 and 1284.

St Sabbas is commemorated on 4 July (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the Athonite Venerables, in the new style.