New Martyr 15th century

New Martyrs Raphael Nicholas and Irene of Lesbos

15th century (martyred in 1463 on the island of Lesbos)

Also known as Raphael of Lesbos · Nicholas of Lesbos · Irene of Lesbos · Eleni (Susanna) of Lesbos

Saint Raphael, an abbot, the deacon Nicholas, and the young girl Irene, together with her family, were tortured and slain by the Turks on Bright Tuesday in 1463 on the island of Lesbos; forgotten for nearly five centuries, they were rediscovered in the twentieth century through visions and relics.

Feast Day

April 9

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Commemorated as

The Holy New Martyrs Raphael, Nicholas and Irene of Lesbos

Life

Raphael, Nicholas and Irene are venerated as new martyrs of the island of Lesbos in the Aegean. By tradition Raphael was an abbot, Nicholas a deacon of the same monastery, and Irene a young girl; together with others they were tortured and slain by Turkish raiders on Bright Tuesday in 1463, in the years after the Ottoman conquest of the Byzantine East.

Their memory was lost for nearly five centuries and recovered only in the twentieth century, when, according to local accounts, villagers reported seeing the saints in dreams and visions through which they made their stories known. Excavations at the site followed and human remains believed to be theirs were uncovered.

Their principal commemoration falls on Bright Tuesday, which is movable, and the fixed date of April 9 is also kept. Saint Eleni (also called Susanna), said by tradition to be a cousin of Saint Irene, is commemorated together with them.

Timeline 3 moments Read Hide

1463 Martyrdom on Lesbos According to tradition, Raphael the abbot, the deacon Nicholas, and the girl Irene, with members of her family and others, were captured and put to death by Turkish raiders on Bright Tuesday on the island of Lesbos, in the years after the fall of Constantinople.
1959 Rediscovery through visions The synaxarion relates that, after nearly five centuries of obscurity, local villagers reported seeing the saints in dreams and miraculous visions in which the saints revealed their stories. Excavations at the indicated site uncovered human remains believed to be those of the martyrs.
1970 Recognition The new martyrs were formally recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. A monastery was raised at the site of their discovery, on a hill called Karyes near the village of Thermi, northeast of Mytilene, where their relics are kept.

Contributions & Legacy

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Life and Martyrdom

By tradition Raphael served as the abbot of a monastery at Karyes, near the village of Thermi on Lesbos; Nicholas was a deacon of the same community; and Irene, the daughter of a local official, was a girl of about twelve. The accounts place their deaths in April 1463, when Turkish raiders fell upon them and put them to death by torture during Bright Week.

For nearly five hundred years their names and story were forgotten. The tradition records that in the twentieth century they began to appear to the people of the area in dreams and visions, recounting their lives and martyrdom, and that excavation of the place they indicated brought to light remains believed to be theirs.

Veneration

Following the rediscovery, the martyrs were formally recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a monastery was rebuilt at Karyes on the hill above Thermi, some distance northeast of Mytilene. The monastery houses their relics and has become a prominent center of pilgrimage. Their principal feast is kept on Bright Tuesday, with April 9 also observed.

Notes

Their principal commemoration falls on Bright Tuesday (movable); the fixed date Apr 9 is also kept. Eleni (Susanna), said to be a cousin of Saint Irene, is commemorated with them.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints