500 Greeks under Panourghias and Athanassios Diakos conflict with Turkish troops on the bridge of Spercheios river (Alamana) near Lamia. Athanassios Diakos (i.e. deacon, in Greek) was arrested and, following a decision by Omer Vryonis, put to death through the brutal torture of impalement.
Athanassios Nikolaos Massavetas, as was his lay name, went down in history as Athanassios Diakos because he had been ordained a Deacon of our Church. At the same battle and on the heights of Halkomata, Bishop Isaiah of Salona (Amphissa) and his brother, Father Ioannis, also a clergyman, also died fighting.
Picture: Athanassios Diakos. Portrait of Athanassios Diakos, pencil on paper by Ioannis D. Vlachos.
