By Fr. George Dorbarakis
The holy and glorious martyr of Christ, Constantine, belongs to the company of the New Martyrs—that is, those martyrs who suffered in more recent times, particularly during the period of Ottoman rule, at the hands of the Hagarenes who held power, without thereby being considered any less holy than the ancient and great martyrs of the early period of the Church. This is one of the first things emphasized by the Hymnographer of the Saint’s Service, himself a great father of the Church of more recent times, the Venerable Nikodemos the Hagiorite.
“Come, O hive of martyrs,” he says, for example, in one of the Aposticha of Small Vespers, “and joyfully welcome the one who appeared in the latter times, but who proved equal to you in his struggles.”
And elsewhere, in Ode 3: “You became a martyr in later times, O renowned Constantine, but in your struggles and wonders you were not later; rather, you stood equal to the martyrs of old.”
This is indeed a truth that the Venerable Nikodemos repeatedly emphasizes. He studied the New Martyrs extensively and in a scholarly manner, to such an extent that, in the voluminous book he wrote about them, he states already in the Prologue that the more recent martyrs are in no way inferior to those of old. For this reason, according to the Church, they are regarded as a continuation of them, as one continuous line—a fact that demonstrates the Church’s identity throughout the ages, with its character shaped by the Holy Spirit.
What is distinctive about Saint Constantine of Hydra is that, although he belongs to the New Martyrs, he is one of those called arneisichristoi—those who denied Christ. That is, he belongs to the group of those who, at some point in their lives, denied Jesus Christ, but subsequently repented and wished, through their lives, to wash away the stain of their denial. Here, two issues arose. The first was whether the Church would accept what was called “rushing” (εἰσπήδησιν) into martyrdom—that is, the deliberate and self-initiated pursuit of martyrdom, something that had been condemned in the early Church. The second was whether someone who had denied Christ, even if he later repented, could be included in the register of the Church’s saints and be honored and glorified like the other well-known martyrs. The Venerable Nikodemos, then, provides an answer to both questions.
The so-called rushed martyrdom, although condemned in principle, is accepted in practice by the Church, provided that the appropriate conditions are present: a Christian has denied Christ; afterward, there is his profound repentance and his firm decision to wash away his denial with his blood, specifically in the place where he denied his faith; and he has first undergone the appropriate preparation by particular spiritual fathers, the so-called aleiptai (spiritual trainers and guides), who strengthen the prospective martyr through their guidance so that he will not lose courage and deny the Lord a second time. Indeed, the Venerable Nikodemos himself was one of these great aleiptai, who witnessed both the repentance and the longing, inspired by the Holy Spirit, of such people.
On the other hand, the same Venerable Father is the foremost defender of the holiness of these New Martyrs, presenting the preeminent and strongest argument that exists: their confirmation by God Himself. Where God gives His approval through miracles and fragrance, he says, who is there who will deny it? For this reason, he uses very harsh language against those who oppose the holiness of the martyrs who had denied Christ, citing examples from history. The first person to deny Christ was the Apostle Peter. Who denies his holiness and his apostolic standing? And there is also Saint James the Persian. Who, likewise, would deny his established holiness and, consequently, the boldness with which he stands before God?
A few examples:
“How can I express the greatness of your heart, or how can I worthily praise your struggles in the contest, O adamantine Constantine? For they surpass the words of mortals and accept only the praises of the angels” (Doxastikon of Small Vespers).
“With what words of the contest shall we praise Constantine ... through whom Satan, who had previously wounded him, was himself wounded in return and finally trampled underfoot?” (Sticheron of Vespers).
“Who will not glorify, who will not worthily praise Constantine the New Martyr, whom the Holy Trinity has glorified? ... Let those who speak unjustly against the height of his holiness be put to shame, and let the mouths of those who oppose the judgment of the All-Holy Trinity be silenced” (From the Liti of Vespers).
“He who examines hearts and reins ... although for a time He permitted you to fall into the great fall of denial, as He did Peter, the foremost Apostle, and James the Persian ... nevertheless, through His grace, just as He raised them, so He quickly raised you again from your fall ... and crowned you as His New Martyr with crowns of glory” (Oikos of the Synaxarion at Matins).
It is, of course, unnecessary to remind ourselves of two further things. First, the power of repentance and the longing for martyrdom were primarily the fruit of God’s grace, which found a response in the Saint’s good disposition. That is, whatever great thing took place in Saint Constantine after his fall into denial was due primarily to the power of our God, and not to some abundance of his own efforts. After all, what good can we human beings possess of our own accord? Everything good “is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (Saint James). “Like a radiant sun ... your memory has appeared, steadfast Constantine ... and has stirred us to praise Him who strengthened you in your struggles” (Kathisma at Matins).
Second, the efficient cause of the entire process of martyrdom—repentance and the decision to die—given that it was prompted by the grace of God, was the Saint’s great love for the Lord. Not only is strength from God necessary, but human love is also necessary for anything good to take place in a person’s journey on earth. Without love, as a response to God’s love, nothing has any particular meaning, nor does it leave any significant mark of a person’s footsteps in this world. The venerable Hymnographer emphasizes this in particular:
“Behold the young man, steadfast in soul; behold the martyr, most glorious; behold how Constantine, like the gentlest of lambs, surrendered himself to death out of love for Christ” (Sticheron of Vespers).
Indeed, this love of his for Christ leads the Venerable Nikodemos to compare him with the Saint of the Church’s Tradition, the fervent one in faith and in eros for Christ, Saint Ignatius the God-bearer. The lyricism of Saint Ignatios’s letters becomes the lyricism of Saint Constantine as well, through the pen of the venerable Hymnographer:
“Imitating the holy and God-bearing Ignatius, O martyr Constantine, while you were in prison for Christ’s sake, you wrote to your fellow citizens: ‘Do not hinder me, but allow me to die out of love for my Christ, who endured the Cross for my sake’” (Ode 4).
And, further, in the same spirit:
“What is gold to me, what is wealth to me?” you answered the tyrants. “What are the perishable goods that you lavishly offer me, O deceivers, impostors, and fools? Christ, in place of all things, is my eros, the supreme object of my desire and delight” (Ode 4).
Saint Nikodemos presents the New Martyr as an example for all those who have denied Christ, on account of the repentance he demonstrated.
“You have rightly become an example, O much-struggling one, and your life has become a model of wholehearted repentance for all who have denied Christ. For where you denied Christ, there, O Saint, you again confessed Him courageously” (Ode 5).
But those who deny Christ are not only those who denied Him during the persecutions of whatever period. We, too, become deniers of Christ whenever we refuse to obey His holy commandments, and especially the commandment of love. For example, when I do not forgive a fellow human being who has wronged me, do I not also become one who denies Christ, since I disregard His commandment? Thus, Saint Constantine is an example of repentance for all, without exception, and we honor and glorify him wherever on earth we may be.
Of course, he is honored and glorified above all in Hydra and Rhodes. In Hydra, because it brought forth such a brave young man and possesses his relic. In Rhodes, because it was sanctified by his august blood through his martyrdom. Here, the hymns of the Saint’s venerable Hymnographer truly become marching songs.
“Rejoice spiritually and dance, O island of Hydra, for you have gloriously brought forth Constantine the Martyr, and you possess his divine relic as an inexhaustible treasure” (Ode 6).
“And you, O Rhodes, boast and sound forth divine hymns, for you have been sanctified by the streams of the august blood of Constantine the Martyr, and have witnessed his most steadfast martyrdom” (Ode 6).
Through his intercessions, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
