Ahmet the Calligrapher | |
---|---|
Born | Constantinople, Ottoman Empire |
Died | 3 May 1682 |
Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Feast | 24 December (Julian calendar), 3 May [1] |
Ahmet the Calligrapher (Turkish : Hattat Ahmet; died 3 May 1682) was an Ottoman Turkish official venerated as a Christian saint. According to Christian sources, he converted to Christianity and was martyred on 3 May 1682; thus, he is commemorated as a martyr on this day. The only mentions of him are in Christian hagiographies. [2]
Ahmet lived in Constantinople during the 1600s and was an official in the Ottoman Turkish government before his conversion. [3]
Ahmet owned two Russian slaves, a concubine and an old woman, whom he allowed to attend one of the Greek Orthodox churches in Constantinople. [4] In time Ahmet began to notice that when his pious Russian slaves returned from church they were far more gracious and loving than they were before going. Intrigued by this, Ahmet obtained permission to attend the Ecumenical Patriarch's celebration of the Divine Liturgy in Constantinople. Due to his status and identity, his request was not refused, and he was given a discreet place at the Church. [3]
During the Divine Liturgy, Ahmet saw that when the Ecumenical Patriarch blessed the faithful with his trikiri and dikiri his fingers 'beamed' light onto the heads of the faithful Christians, but not his own. [3] Amazed by this miracle, Ahmet requested and received Holy Baptism.
Whatever happened during this period, one day a group of arguing officials asked Ahmet for his opinion of their dispute, to which he replied that there is nothing better than the Christian faith. [5]
For this he was put before the Sultan and qadi. After torture and a few chances to return to Islam he was subsequently beheaded on 3 May 1682. [5]
He is celebrated on 24 December/6 January in Eastern Orthodoxy under the name of Christódoulos (Greek: Χριστόδουλος). [6]
Sep. 2 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - Sep. 4
September 13 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - September 15
Apr. 9 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - Apr. 11
April 17 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - April 19
May 2 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 4
May 11 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 13
May 21 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 23
May 28 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 30
June 26 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - June 28
January 12 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - January 14
February 11 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 13
February 13 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 15
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December 23 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 25
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This is a timeline of the presence of Eastern Orthodoxy in Greece. The history of Greece traditionally encompasses the study of the Greek people, the areas they ruled historically, as well as the territory now composing the modern state of Greece.
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