Saint Christodoulos

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, there lived a boy in Patra, Greece named Christodoulos. Christodoulos had witnessed the martyrdom of a young Christian girl named Anastasia. The Moslem Turks wished to destroy the Christian faith by killing any who would not renounce their faith in Christ

Christodoulos was taken captive one day by a Turk named Yousouf. Feeling that the witness of his fellow Christian’s death would be a heavy burden for Christodoulos, Yousouf thought him an easy pray and felt that he could surely get the boy, only fourteen, to deny Christ and embrace Islam.

But Christodoulos courageously shouted, “Christos Anesti!” (Christ is Risen!) The Turk became crazy with anger and ordered that the boy suffer five hundred lashes.

Despite his torments, the boy continuously sang hymns of praise to Jesus Christ. He shouted to the crowds that although his body belonged to them, his soul would forever belong to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. After which, he gave up his soul to God.