New Martyr 17th century

New Hieromartyr Zacharias Metropolitan of Corinth

died 1684

Also known as Zacharias of Corinth

Metropolitan of Corinth, falsely accused of sending messages to the Venetians; he was beheaded in 1684 for refusing to embrace Islam.

Feast Day

March 30

Draft

Draft — pending review. Not yet verified for publication.

Hymn / Apolytikion Icon gallery Video / Media

Commemorated as

The Holy New Hieromartyr Zacharias, Metropolitan of Corinth

Life

Zacharias was an Orthodox bishop of the post-Byzantine period who served as Metropolitan of Corinth in the Peloponnese under Ottoman rule. He is venerated as a New Hieromartyr, having been put to death in 1684 for his refusal to abandon the Christian faith. He is commemorated on March 30.

According to the accounts of his life, Zacharias was born in the region of Arta in northwestern Greece before becoming metropolitan of the see of Corinth. His martyrdom fell during the period of conflict between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire, when suspicion of collusion with Venice fell readily upon prominent Christians in Ottoman territory.

The sources relate that Zacharias was falsely accused by Turks of sending secret messages to the Venetians. He was arrested, beaten, and placed in irons, and brought before the kadi, the Islamic judge, who demanded that he deny Christ and embrace Islam on pain of death. His steadfast refusal, maintained under repeated beatings, led to his execution by beheading in the city of Corinth.

Timeline 3 moments Read Hide

1684 False accusation and arrest Falsely accused of sending secret messages to the Venetians, Zacharias was arrested, beaten, and placed in irons.
1684 Trial before the kadi Brought before the Islamic judge, he refused to deny Christ and embrace Islam despite repeated beatings.
March 30, 1684 Martyrdom by beheading On the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, his sentence of impalement and burning was commuted to beheading; he was executed in Corinth.

Contributions & Legacy

2 contributions Read Hide

Accusation and Trial

The accusation against Zacharias arose against the backdrop of the war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. According to the tradition, certain Turks falsely charged the metropolitan with sending secret messages to the Venetians, a charge of treason that exposed him to capital punishment. He was immediately taken into custody, beaten, and placed in irons.

Brought before the kadi, Zacharias was offered the choice of denying his faith and converting to Islam or suffering death. The synaxarion preserves his answer: that the Holy God might never allow him to deny his Lord Jesus Christ, whom he believed to be Almighty and the Creator of the universe, and that he was ready to spill his blood for His holy Name. This confession brought a further beating, after which he was returned to jail; no amount of suffering could induce him to renounce Christ.

Martyrdom

When it became clear that Zacharias would not be moved, his persecutors resolved upon an unusually cruel death, sentencing him to be impaled and then roasted alive. According to the account, Orthodox Christians gathered funds to petition on his behalf, and the sentence was commuted to beheading.

Zacharias was put to death by the sword in Corinth on March 30, 1684. The tradition notes that his martyrdom fell on the Third Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of the Veneration of the Honorable Cross. He is numbered among the New Martyrs who confessed Christ under Ottoman rule, and his feast is kept on March 30.

Notes

Martyred 1684. Born in the region of Arta.

Sources: J. Sanidopoulos, johnsanidopoulos.com; GOARCH calendar