New Martyr Constantine of Hydra

The Holy New Martyr Constantine was born on the island of Hydra; his father was named Michael, and his mother was called Marina. At the age of eighteen, he left Hydra and went to Rhodes, where he served the Turkish ruler Hasan Kapetan. There Constantine converted to Islam and took the name Hasan, in honor of his master. For three years he received great honors and was content.

Later, however, he felt remorse for denying Christ. He gave alms to Orthodox Christians, prayed with bitter tears, and showed great reverence to the Orthodox priests he encountered. He decided to atone for his sin by martyrdom. So he found a Spiritual Father, to whom he confessed, asking for his blessing to seek martyrdom. Seeing how young he was, his Spiritual Father advised him to wait. Constantine obeyed and left Rhodes, traveling to the city of Krimi, then to Constantinople, and from there he went to the Holy Mountain.

At Ivḗron Monastery he prepared himself for martyrdom. With the blessing of the Fathers, he returned to Rhodes and presented himself to the ruler, and courageously confessed Christ. The tortures he endured were horrible. Finally, he was hanged on November 14, 1800.

Today, at Saint Constantine's birthplace on Hydra, there is a beautiful church which is dedicated to him, and there his holy relics are kept.

A fragment from Saint Constantine's relics is in the "Quick to Hear" Icon at Saint Tikhon's Monastery church in Pennsylvania.