10/13/2026
St. Zlata (Chryse) the New Martyr of Meglena
Even when her own family begged her to abandon her Christian faith, St. Zlata refused.
Born into a poor Christian family in the village of Slatina in the region of Meglena, Zlata was known for her beauty and devotion to Christ.
One day, a Turkish man abducted her and demanded that she renounce Christianity and marry him.
When Zlata refused, he enlisted others to pressure her. Her parents and sisters were threatened and told that they would suffer unless she agreed.
Her frightened family begged her to comply, but Zlata remained firm in her decision.
For months, she endured imprisonment and terrible torture. According to the account of her martyrdom, her persecutors eventually hanged her from a tree and cut her body into pieces.
St. Zlata was martyred in 1795 and is especially venerated among Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria and Greece.
Commemorated October 13