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| St. Christopher the Sabbaite (Feast Day - April 13); Icon depicts the slaughter of the Holy Fathers of the Lavra of Saint Savvas |
Saint Stephen the Melodist, the nephew of Saint John of Damascus, was the eye-witness who recorded the slaughter of the Holy Fathers of the Great Lavra of Saint Savvas in the seventh century, whom we commemorate on March 20th. In his narration Saint Stephen also informs us of a Venerable Martyr named Christopher, whom he says had converted a few years earlier to the pious faith of Christ, "from a Persian and fruitless wild olive tree, he was grafted and became a fruitful olive tree." Having been baptized and received the monastic schema at the Lavra of Saint Savvas, Christopher was slandered by the chief councillor of the Saracens, and three days before Holy and Great Friday, on April 14th, he was killed by a sword.