Holy Martyr Peter the Kalyvite at Blachernae

St. Peter Kalyvites (Feast Day - May 16)

Verses

Peter's faith was unshaken as a rock,
Being brought to the sinew cords for his words.

Saint Peter the Kalyvite was the first victim of Iconoclasm on May 16, 762 under Emperor Constantine V Copronymos. His martyrdom was recorded by Theophanes (Chronicle 21), where he misnames him as Andrew, confusing him with Andrew the Stylite (whom Theophanes in Chronicle 27 misnamed as Peter) who was also killed by Copronymos. Theophanes writes:

"In the same year the persecutor Constantine whipped to death a monk at Blachernae - Andrew, who was called Kalyvites - in the hippodrome at Saint Mamas. Andrew had accused Constantine of impiety and of being a new Valens [Arian emperor], and had called him a Julian [pagan emperor]. Constantine ordered his body thrown in a river, but his sister stole it and buried it in the marketplace of Leukadios."