Demetrios was born in Thessaloniki in the year 280, into a distinguished Macedonian family, and received a thorough education and Christian upbringing. He is one of the most popular figures in the hagiology of the Greek Church and of Orthodoxy as a whole. He enlisted in the Roman army and, while still young, rose to the highest military and political offices. Maximian (245–310), Augustus and co-ruler of Diocletian, who had made Constantine the Great his son-in-law by giving him his daughter Fausta in marriage, recognized Demetrios’s qualifications and appointed him first senator of Thessaloniki and later proconsul. The new Roman consul apparently governed Macedonia, which began on the shores of the Adriatic and extended as far as the Evros River and Thessaly.
At that time, public contests were being held in the stadium of Thessaloniki, and a certain pagan named Lyaios boasted of his strength and challenged the citizens to enter the arena and compete against him. Then a young Christian, a friend of Demetrios named Nestor, went to the prison and asked Demetrios’s opinion on whether he should compete against Lyaios. Demetrios encouraged him and, “having thoroughly sealed his forehead with the sign of the Cross,” sent him to compete against Lyaios with many prayers and hopes. Nestor was greatly encouraged by Demetrios’s blessing, went to the stadium, fought Lyaios, and killed him. Maximian was present and was so distressed by Lyaios’s death and Nestor’s victory that he ordered Nestor to be killed on the spot and Demetrios, who was in prison and whose Christian assembly Nestor belonged to, to be killed as well. Demetrios was “pierced in the side with a spear.” Christians took his body and buried it. Demetrios’s tomb was transformed into a deep well from which myrrh flowed, and because of this he was called the “Myrrhgusher.” Most of Saint Demetrios’s miracles are also associated with the flowing of the myrrh. (1)
Saint Demetrios must have suffered martyrdom on October 26 in one of the years between 303, when Diocletian’s first decree concerning the persecution of Christians was issued, and 311 AD, when Valerius’s decree concerning religious toleration was issued, officially bringing the persecution of Christians to an end, at least. (2) The city of Thessaloniki, where he was born, proclaimed Demetrios its patron saint.
In honor of Saint Demetrios, the most beautiful and magnificent basilica in the East was built in Thessaloniki in the fifth century. This basilica, which had survived from that time onward and had served as a stronghold of Christian worship, was destroyed in the great fire of Thessaloniki on August 5 and 6, 1917, which burned down three-quarters of the city. The extremely difficult restoration of the church began in 1926, was interrupted shortly afterward, and began again in 1945, when an autonomous organization was established to rebuild the monument. In 1948, a special postage stamp was issued, and the large sum needed to complete the work was raised from its sale and other sources. (3) The Church of Saint Demetrios was handed over to the faithful on October 26, 1949, and its official dedication took place in 1958. The relics of Saint Demetrios returned in 1978 from the Abbey of Saint Lawrence in Campo, Italy, and were placed in a silver reliquary inside the church, where they are kept to this day.
Since 1988, the underground area has served as an exhibition space, where a collection of sculptures, capitals, chancel screens, and vessels from the Church of Saint Demetrios is displayed. A museum exhibition in the church’s crypt displays the sculptural decoration of the church from the various phases of its history. In 1988, the church was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Saint Demetrios appears as the patron and protector of Thessaloniki, with increased veneration, from the sixth century onward, when the city endured prolonged anxiety because of repeated attacks by the Avaro-Slavs and the Slavs against its walls. In the period after the seventh century, the Saint would no longer remain the martyr in a white tunic. Under the influence of the military and heroic warlike spirit of the Byzantine frontier guards, he would become a Byzantine soldier bearing a shield and spear, and a mounted Byzantine frontier warrior in steel armor, carrying a sword and shield. In the later books of his miracles, he is depicted wearing military armor, mounted on horseback, carrying a sword, youthful and exceedingly graceful. Painters of that period would henceforth portray him in this way. (4)
Over the centuries, the people of Thessaloniki attributed the preservation of their city from barbarian invasions to Saint Demetrios. During the first Avar siege of Thessaloniki (583), Demetrios was seen not as an apparition but as a living soldier in armor. He killed the first invader who attempted to climb the city wall, and the siege was temporarily lifted. The Avars returned against Thessaloniki with an army of 100,000, also assisted by the people of the Sclaveni, who were “beastlike.” Once again, however, they fled during the night because they saw a magnificent man on a completely white horse, wearing a splendid garment and leading an army of tens of thousands.
On another occasion, when Thessaloniki was besieged by land and sea by the hordes of the Dragovites, Sagudates, Belegezites, and other barbarians, Saint Demetrios was seen wearing a white military cloak and running along the city wall. He then walked on the sea as though walking on dry land and put the invading hordes to flight. On another occasion, when the Khagan of the Arabs attacked the city, accompanied by a multitude of Bulgarians, and constructed wooden towers outside Thessaloniki that were taller than the city walls, Saint Demetrios hurled a stone at the siege engines, on which he had engraved his name. This stone destroyed the barbarians’ siege engines, and they fled.
From then on, the people of Thessaloniki came to swear by Saint Demetrios, using an oath stronger than any other: “By your Demetrios and by the Demetrios of us all, the guardian and patron of Thessaloniki.” It is reported that Basil the Bulgar-Slayer, who had established his headquarters in Thessaloniki, prayed at the tomb of Saint Demetrios and invoked his help whenever he campaigned against the barbarians. In the thirteenth century, the Saint is said to have struck the Bulgarian king John with his spear. Because of his cruelty, John was called “Dog-John,” and Saint Demetrios once again saved the city of Thessaloniki from its invaders. (5)
In the year 1082, Larissa in Thessaly was besieged by Bohemond, son of Robert Guiscard, the Norman ruler of southern Italy. Alexios I Komnenos, Emperor of Byzantium, hastened to its aid. His military forces, however, were much weaker than Bohemond’s, and he carefully planned how to repel the Normans. Anna Komnene, in her Alexiad (6), describes as follows the assistance Alexios I Komnenos received from Saint Demetrios:
When the sun had set, the emperor, exhausted by the day’s labor, surrendered himself to sleep and had the following dream. It seemed to him that he was standing inside the sacred church of the Great Martyr Demetrios, and he heard a voice saying to him: “Do not grieve, do not sigh; tomorrow you will be victorious.” He thought that the voice reaching his ears came from an icon of the Great Martyr Demetrios hanging on the church wall.
He awoke overjoyed by the prophecy of the dream and began to pray, making a vow to the Martyr that, if he granted him victory over his enemies, he would go to the Saint’s church on foot. Many stadia before entering Thessaloniki, he would dismount and proceed on foot to venerate the Saint.
He immediately gathered his men and announced the ambush plan that he had just conceived through the Saint’s inspiration. At that moment, all the horses in the Roman camp suddenly began to neigh, which everyone regarded as a good omen. The plan was put into action. The Celts, thrown into confusion, relentlessly pursued a contingent of Byzantines who appeared to be retreating in fear from the area. The emperor, who had remained concealed until then, attacked the enemy camp with the rest of his army, killed many of the panicked Latins who were still there, and carried off the spoils.
When Bohemond realized what had happened to him, it was already too late. Victory had already gone to the Byzantines, who recovered all of Thessaly from the Normans along with Larissa. Without delay, the pious Alexios then left Larissa and hastened to Thessaloniki to fulfill his promise to the champion, the Great Martyr Demetrios.
In the collections of the miracles of Saint Demetrios, among the well-known Acta of Migne (Book III, vol. 116, columns 1393–1396), there is an account of a miracle of the “Great Martyr Demetrios the Myrrhgusher,” rendered in simple ecclesiastical language. The miracle happened to an official of the Byzantine state.
According to the oldest known account of the miracle, which certainly dates to before the tenth century, the official had fallen ill, suffered complete paralysis, and become bedridden. Despairing of the physicians’ futile efforts to cure him, he came to Thessaloniki and, following the instruction of the Saint, who had appeared to him in his sleep, visited the Monastery of Saint Demetrios outside the city.
Near this monastery, sweet, clear, moderately cool water flowed from a fissure in a rock. With this water—or, more accurately, with this holy water—the official sprinkled his joints, which had ceased to function. He began to move his hands, then his feet, stood up, and began to walk, proclaiming the miracle. Through this miracle, the Great Martyr Demetrios acquired the epithet “Armogenes,” meaning the saint who heals the joints.
This text was written by an unknown author after the eighth century. It recounts a miracle that took place at a time that cannot be determined. The author had heard the account and makes no mention of the period that elapsed before his own time. All indications point to the Monastery of Saint Demetrios the Armogenes having stood on the site of the old café at Sheikh Sou in Thessaloniki. (7)
Another miracle worth mentioning took place in Pskov, Russia, in October 1965, and was reported even by the Russian press of that time, which was under state control. The account of this miracle is contained in a letter sent from the Soviet Union at the time. The letter reads as follows:
On October 26, we began preparations for the celebrations of the October Revolution, because many officials would be coming here from various places to visit the memorials to those who had fallen in the war. We all worked voluntarily, clearing away the dry grass and covering the paths with small stones. In the evening, about forty-five women from the surrounding villages slept in the village club. We fell asleep completely exhausted. During the night, one of us woke up and cried out: ‘Help, comrades! I’m having nightmares.’ ‘What did you see? What did you see?’ we all asked.
‘I saw a radiant young man on a horse, holding a golden chalice in his hands. The rider said to me: “Look at this holy chalice, which is full of the blood of Christ, which will enlighten you all and bring love and peace.” I wanted to ask him, “Who are you?” But I could not. He understood, however, and said to me: “You must dig there, at such-and-such a place, and you will learn who I am!”
The dream was perfectly clear. Then we lay down to sleep again. This time, seventeen women and girls had the same dream, eleven of whom were members of the Communist Party. Again, the rider! Again, the golden chalice shining in his hands! And again, he commanded: "Dig there, and learn who I am!"
We held a meeting to decide what to do. There is not a single priest in our area. We thought of going to Leningrad. We went, but everywhere they shut their doors to us and considered us mad and hysterical. Finally, someone suggested that we go to archaeologists. We went. They told us that no one had ever conducted excavations on the basis of dreams and that public money was not to be thrown away. We returned to our hotel in despair.
At four in the morning, the telephone rang. The archaeologists were asking for us! In trembling voices, they told us to come and see them again on the first bus. We went back. They were in a state of great agitation. They had seen the same dream! On the golden chalice was the figure of Christ.
The matter spread widely. There were comments in the press. Ridicule and mockery. But we succeeded! An expedition of workers and volunteers set out with archaeologists. After three days, the first ruins were found: an entire complex of about forty churches. Every day, in their sleep, everyone saw the holy rider commanding: "Dig! Dig! Dig!" On the fourth night, everyone, having agreed among themselves, asked him: "Who are you?" The Saint grew angry and shouted loudly:
“Do you not know me? I am DIMITRI SALOUNSKI (Demetrios of Thessaloniki), and Christ has sent me to you to bring you love and peace once again."
On the thirteenth day, while digging, we finally found his magnificent church, his icon, and the holy chalice he was holding in his hand. A sensation! A great sensation! Even the press wrote about it, but in a dry and distorted manner. But now we all know the truth…'” (8)
After the death of Saint Demetrios, his servant, the martyr Loupos, also performed miracles using the blood he had collected from the Saint’s martyrdom and the Saint’s ring.
Veneration of the Saint would not remain local. It would extend beyond Thessaloniki and Macedonia to the Balkans, Constantinople, Asia Minor, and as far as Cappadocia. This veneration played a major cultural role in the Balkan world. There is a great abundance of encomia in Byzantine prose, a great abundance of icons in Byzantine art, and a great abundance of pilgrims in Byzantine Thessaloniki. Every year, during October, a multi-day commercial fair in honor of the Saint was held outside the western fortress of Thessaloniki, on the plain between the city walls, specifically between the Golden Gate and the Axios River, with religious ceremonies and all-night vigils. (9)
Harmenopoulos says that the crowds gathering for the feast gave the impression that it was universal. During the festive period, an additional city was created, very extensive and beautifully planned and laid out. In the stalls erected in this temporary city, domestic and foreign products from a variety of crafts were displayed for sale. (10)
Saint Demetrios the Myrrhgusher is worthy of admiration and veneration. He is truly the champion of Thessaloniki and of the whole world. In his honor, the University of Thessaloniki bears his image on its seal, and a large, full-length depiction of the Saint dominates its ceremonial hall. Every formal celebration of the University of Thessaloniki begins with the troparion of Saint Demetrios.
The people of Thessaloniki attribute the entry of the Greek army into their city on the Saint’s feast day during the Balkan Wars to Saint Demetrios. Greek soldiers who fought in the Balkan campaigns recounted the tradition that, in every battle, the apparition of Saint Demetrios led the Greek troops.
(1) Religious and Ethical Encyclopedia, vol. IV, entry “Demetrios,” p. 1054.
(2) Georgios Theocharides, History of Macedonia During the Middle Ages (285–1354), Thessaloniki (1980), p. 61.
(3) Helios Encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. I, p. 276.
(4) Georgios Theocharides, History of Macedonia During the Middle Ages (285–1354), Thessaloniki (1980), p. 81.
(5) Helios Encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. V, p. 928.
(6) Anna Komnene, The Alexiad, Book V, Chapter V, section 6 and following.
(7) Apostolos Vakalopoulos, Fruits of the Macedonian Land: A Tribute to the Author from the Society for Macedonian Studies (1980), p. 315.
(8) Saint Demetrios the Myrrhgusher, by the Sacred Cell of Saint Nicholas Bourazeri, Mount Athos, second edition, p. 115.
(9) Georgios Theocharides, History of Macedonia During the Middle Ages (285–1354), Thessaloniki (1980), p. 81.
(10) Religious and Ethical Encyclopedia, vol. IV, entry “Demetrios,” p. 1054.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
