The Holy Martyr Michael Burliotes

Commemorated on April 16

      The Holy Martyr Michael Burliotes was born in about the year 1754 into a farm family. the boy was raised piously, but his character was flawed.
      The handsome and ruddy youth caught the attention of the owner of a coffee-house in the city of Smyrna. The Turk flattered him and urged him to accept Mahometanism, so as to work at the coffee-house. The youth consented and with delight he began his employment. But then came Holy Pascha, and he heard the triumphant song of Christians: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life!" With all his soul he sensed, that he also – was of Christ, that the Lord was summoning him into His joy, and the youth went down to the singers, but he heard reproaches for his apostasy. "Tomorrow ye will see, what I am", – he said sadly to the Christians.
      He immediately set off to the Mussulman judge and asked, whether it was lawful to barter in exchange swine for gold? If the barter exchange were made by deceit, then could the defrauded take back the gold? "Both possible and lawful", – answered the Mahometan judge. "If that is so, – said Saint Michael, – take back thine swine which thou didst give me for gold, – take back thine faith and return me my gold – the faith of my fathers". After these words the martyr openly confessed Jesus Christ as the True God, the Judge of both the living and the dead.
      The Turks locked up the confessor in prison, and after two days they cut off his head (+ 1772). His body lay for three days without burial and remained without decay. The Turks threw it into the sea, but sailors took up the body and buried it at the church of Saint Photinia.