Ex Hagarene Saints

(Commemorated on 2nd of June) What we know of Saint Constantine’s early life are only a few brief facts, since fellow family members and Ottoman Christians at the time of his martyrdom, hesitated to speak about his very public confession which stirred much ill-will amongst Ottoman Hagarenes (Muslims) and Ottoman civil authorities. His own family from what research seems to …

(Commemorated on 3rd May and the 24th December) Saint Ahmed (or Ahmet) Kalphas came from a Muslim family in Constantinople, and was raised as a devout Muslim. He worked as a secretary (deftedar) in the office of the Chief Secretary of the Ottoman Empire, that is in Ottoman terms, within the Sultan’s Chancellery as Scribe of the Second Rank. Thus …