By Christos Merantzas
ABSTRACT
In this paper we will examine the anthropological dimensions of the Christian martyr’s embodiment of pain
which we consider to be a shaping factor of the identity of Byzantine culture. The Christian martyr’s cultural
presence gave Christians a meaning and a reason to exist as it heralded his/her salvation. Furthermore, the
dramatic depiction of martyrical scenes in Post-Byzantine monuments under the Ottoman rule, mainly in the
16th century, served an ideological purpose, as they encouraged an attitude of resistance against the
Ottoman conqueror with deep long-term social and political consequences for the conquered provinces
across the Balkan Peninsula.
