April 19. (May 2).
The Five were martyred for Christ on the Monday after Thomas Sunday in the year 1836 in the village of Makre, on the seashore of Thrace, right across the Thracian Sea from Samothrace. Their Holy Relics are treasured in the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Chora, Samothrace.
Samothrace is one of the Northernmost islands of Greece. There are more Greek islands to the North of Samothrace, but albeit they liberated themselves from the yoke of the Hagarenes, they were assigned to the state that succeeded the so-called Ottoman Empire. These five saints were martyred by the Hagarenes, and we believe that their intercessions with Christ kept their island free to worship Christ. As the local bishop says, their sober bravery is worth being emulated by other Orthodox youths.
It's probably interesting to know that, as far as we know, every inhabitant of the island of Samothrace has at least one copy of this Paterikon.
Glory to God, and many thanks to the local bishop.
Together with each Paterikon book, feel free to choose a "Paterikon Purse" of your liking and either a fasting or non-fasting treat.