The continental land, like the whole of Greece and the Balkans, produced many New Martyrs in the dark years of the Turkish rule. In the rough and isolated mainland regions, the Orthodox Greeks cultivated and kept the treasure of our true faith in Christ and gave their testimony, when needed, not counting the cost of their confession, which often touched their lives. One of the Neomartyrs of Kallini, Epirus, was also Saint Neomartyr Nikolaos of Metsovo, a heroic and brave athlete of Christ.
He was born in Metsovo at his beginings 17th century. His last name was Basdanis. His parents were pious people, who inspired him to believe in Christ and Orthodoxy as a child. He spent his childhood in indescribable poverty and suffering. When he grew up, he took his parents' wish and went down to Trikala, to look for better living conditions.
He applied for work at several companies and eventually ended up being hired at one Turkish oven. There he worked conscientiously and kindly and for this he gained the sympathy and favor of his bosses. They were well paid, so that he himself lived with dignity and helped his poor parents.
The years passed and Nikolaos consciously lived the Christian life. But over time, living near his Muslim employers, he envied their comfortable life, with its many privileges, tax exemptions and honors. He also envied their privileged position, in relation to the vassals, who were deprived of basic liberties and were considered by their rulers as subordinate people, often as their concubines. He thought that he too could live in luxury if he became a Turk, if he converted and became a Muslim.
After a long period of intense reflection, he made the big decision to convert to Islam. He announced his decision to his superiors, and they happily summoned a hodja, who circumcised him.
From that moment his life really changed. He became a regular citizen of the Ottoman state and new horizons for his professional activity opened up before him. Poverty and hardship were a thing of the past. Now all doors were open to him, for he was not the subject of a vassal, but the sovereign Turk.
But, paradoxically, instead of rejoicing in his new easy life full of luxury, comforts and pleasures, an inexplicable sadness settled permanently in his soul and did not let him enjoy his freedom, his large amount of money, his honorable position in the local community, the bright prospects that were opening up for his life.
His strange depressed state of mind continued for some time. One day he understood that the cause of his mental sorrow was the denial of faith in Christ. He understood that his depression was due to the absence of divine grace, which alone gives joy and cheerfulness to the faithful Christian. His eyes flooded with hot tears and bitter sighs escaped his lips. He denied Christ for gold and luxury! So it didn't take long for him to make the decision to return to the faith of his fathers, to holy Orthodoxy.
One day he left his job and disappeared from Trikala. He went up to his village and began to live as a Christian. To cover the biotics
his needs, he began to sell dadia, i.e. flammable kindlings. In fact, his work forced him to go down to the city of Trikala often
to sell his goods, but with precautions, so as not to be recognized by the Turks.
But on one of his descents to Trikala, he met by chance a Muslim, a neighbor at the bakery, who was working. He recognized him and saw that he was not wearing Turkish clothes, which also showed his Muslim faith, but Greek. He realized that he had rejected Islam and turned to Christianity. He grabbed him by the clothes and beat him, because he betrayed the Muslim religion. He threatened him that if he did not supply him with the necessary dadi for free for life, he would hand him over to the Turkish authorities and the consequences would be dire for him, because the Koran and the Islamic law (Sharia) provide for death for the outliers of Islam. Nikolaos agreed to supply dadi to the Turk thus buying his secret.
Time passed and Nikolaos lived freely, but he was tormented by the thought that he was using his faith as a trade for his physical freedom. That is why he sought an experienced spiritual person to confide his inner problem to him. He revealed to him all the secrets of his soul and confided in him his remorse, which tormented him for denying Christ. In fact, he confided in him his desire to wash away his sin with his blood, to testify for the true God, and he asked for his blessing to proceed to martyrdom.
His spiritual leader listened to him carefully, but warned him that martyrdom is not an easy task and that there was a danger that he would become cowardly and deny Christ again. In the face of his insistence, she gave him his wish and consent to proceed with the martyrdom.
After that, Nikolaos felt peace of mind and started not to be afraid of the Turks anymore. He stopped guarding himself and sold his goods publicly in Trikala. He was also trying to make the Turk who was extorting him understand that he was no longer afraid of him and stopped supplying him with free dadi. But that malevolent and vicious man, when he no longer gave him dadi, became a beast from his anger. She looked for him in the market and when she found him, she grabbed him and started beating him furiously, cursing him and threatening him. Seeing the scene, other Turks also approached and began to beat the apostate of Islam. After being beaten, they dragged him to the Turkish judge of Trikala, to be tried for the crime of denying the Muslim faith.
He bravely stood before the judge and apologised, without fear, that he is a Christian and a Greek and assured that he is not going to deny these two great values in any way. The judge at first began to flatter him and offered him honors, positions, riches and an easy life if he decided to convert to the Muslim religion and become a Turk. But he remained unconvinced. Then he began to threaten him, knowing the consequences that Islamic law provides for those who refused Islam. That horrible torture and death awaited him if he did not comply with his advice. But Nikolaos, with unprecedented heroism and calmness, assured him that he was unjustifiably tiring to convince him. Then he ordered the soldiers to flog him mercilessly and shut him up in the darkest dungeon, without food or water for many days.
The Martyr endured the torture with heroism and determination, praying day and night, asking God to forgive him for the shame of his refusal
And begging Him to strengthen him, to endure the tortures until the end and not to be afraid in the face of death.
Seeing that the judge did not change his mind, he issued his verdict: death by fire! In fact, it was not advertised by the Turks that the execution would take place in the center of Trikala. Many Turks and Jews gathered to see the spectacle and rejoice. Many Christians also gathered to admire the heroic Martyr of Christ. They lit a big fire, near the market of the city, and after dragging Nikolaos, they threw him into the fire. In a few minutes of the hour the Martyr cooled down, his soul ascending to the heavens to meet Christ, for whose sake he gave his life, and his body disappeared in the flames. It was 17 May of the year 1617.
Few of his relics were saved and in better condition his Kara, which was bought by a pious potter of the city, giving enough money to the Turkish guardians. But because he was afraid that the Turks would discover it, he walled it up in his house, without telling anyone his secret. Meanwhile the potter died and his house was bought by someone named Melandros. One year exactly after the Martyrdom of the saint, on 17 May of the year 1618, in the evening hours, he saw the spot where Timia Kara had been walled up shining. That same night he saw in his dream that his house was hosting the Cara of the Saint Neomartyr Nikolaos of Metsovo. The next morning he opened the wall and indeed found Timia Kara. Being a pious man and considering himself unworthy to host such a sacred treasure in his house, he handed it over to Holy Monastery of Varlaam Meteora, where he had a brother monk, as an eternal memorial for his parents. It is kept there to this day, fragrant and miraculous.
In addition to Agia Kara, pieces of the saint's hands are preserved in Holy Monastery of Eleusis Ioannina, and Church of Agios Nikolaos Skamnelios Ioannina, as well as a tooth of the saint in Holy Dormition Monastery of Metsovo.
Infinite are the miracles performed by his graceful relics, to those who invoke him with faith and reverence.
His memory is commemorated on 17 May, on the day of his martyrdom.
photo PEMPTOUSIA, https://www.pemptousia.gr/2024/05/agios-neomartis-nikolaos-ek-metsovou/
