The Six Virgin Martyrs of Geroplatanos

The Six Virgin Martyrs of Geroplatanos in Halkidiki were burned alive by the Turks in 1854, after that year's uprising, because they remained faithful to Christ. They are honoured as new martyrs, locally, and are commemorated on the first Sunday of May, in the church of St Demetrios at Geroplatanos. They have no known canonization.

In April 1854 the Greek Revolution rose in Halkidiki as well, led by Captain Tsamis Karatasos. At Kavrolaka 65 Turks were killed, and of the Greeks only one, from Vlachomichali. Despite this success the uprising failed, and on 22 April thirty Greek notables of Polygyros were massacred. Destruction and further massacres spread through Halkidiki. When the Turks reached Geroplatanos they destroyed the church of St Demetrios, which is why the icons in the church today date from 1858.

At Geroplatanos too, seven girls were shut inside the mill of Tsamis. The Turks surrounded the mill and asked them to change their religion. Six stood firm and confessed Christ, and the Turks burned them alive. According to the sources the seventh girl married a Turk, but lived and died a Christian. The traces of the fire can still be seen in the mill today.

The girls' first names are not known, only their family names: Mizouli, Karakasi, Lemoni, Tsami, Paschou and Nestora. The hymns of the Church compare them to a six-⁠branched candlestick that burned with the fire of faith.