The PriestMartyr Damaskin the New

Commemorated on January 16

The PriestMartyr Damaskin the New was born in the village of Gabrovo of Tirnovo diocese. As an adult, he left his fatherland and withdrew to Athos. He accepted monasticism there at the Khilendaria monastery, at which he later became hegumen. On needs of the monastery Saint Damaskin journeyed to Bulgaria, to the settlement of Sistovo. In fulfilling the entrusted task, he requested of Turks a repayment of debt, but not only did the Turks not repay the debt, they seized from the saint everything he had. Afterwards they charged him with abducting a woman (they brought her secretly to the gaol to him). Despite the defense of the ruler of the settlement, the Turks took Saint Damaskin to the gallows and gave him a choice to accept Mussulmanism. Not receiving agreement from the saint, the Turks hung him on 16 January 1771. The wrath of God did not hesitate to overtake the evil-doers, for in crossing the Danube River, the executioners drowned.