Monastic Martyr Gennadios of Dionysiou on Mount Athos

Commemorated on April 6.

Saint Gennadios (Gennádios) was a monk in the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou on Mount Athos. One day, the Igoumen of the Monastery sent him to accompany the monks Boniface and Eudokimos (Eudókimos) to Constantinople so they could become martyrs. When they arrived the two monks were afraid to suffer torments. They denied Christ and turned against Gennadios, blaming him for their fruitless journey. Then they told the authorities that Gennadios had come to Constantinople in order to become a martyr.

The Turks arrested Father Gennadios, threw him in prison, and tortured him in various ways, urging him to become a Moslem. The Saint remained steadfast in his faith, however. Seeing that he could not be persuaded, they beheaded Saint Gennadios on April 6, 1818. Thus he received the unfading crown of martyrdom from Christ.

Some of the Martyr's relics are located in the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou, where Saint Gennadios contested in asceticism and acquired the virtues of faith.