Born of Muslim parents, Saint Constantine was blinded as a youth by a malicious magician who, prompted by a demon, gave him a poison potion to drink. Bedridden for three years as a result, his desperate mother heeded the suggestion of a Christian woman to have him submerged in a miraculous pool. Like a foreshadowing of his eventual baptism, the holy Martyr was healed and a seed of salvation was planted in his heart which was watered each time he heard someone teaching about the Christian Faith. This eventually led him to the Holy Mountain he converted and began to responsibly cultivate a desire to give his life as a thank offering to Christ in imitation of the holy martyrs. Put off from this purpose for a time by his spiritual father, Saint Constantine traveled to Magnesia to affect the conversion of his sister. During this trip he was recognized by a Turk and was arrested as an apostate from Islam. This circumstance fanned the flame of his desire which had been as a smoldering coal, and the holy Martyr was given the courage to endure. Again at the prompting of a demon, his torturer devised a metal helmet meant to both retain heat and place a crushing pressure on the sides of his head. This helmet was heated in the fire and placed on Saint Constantine’s head. Meant for evil, the device became for him the helmet of salvation in the armor of God. When they began to cut and beat him, a golden cross appeared on his chest which became impervious to their assaults. Seeing they could do nothing else to the Martyr, he was bung upside down for the night where he suffered demonic attacks in the form of various temptations and apparitions. Saint Constantine, however, had been purified by the refiners fire, and easily repulsed the assault on his soul. He was further strengthened by a vision of the Mother of God who told him that he would survive to bear witness of her Son in Constantinople, but would eventually carry off the martyr’s crown . There a kindly priest offered to have him released, but the Saint declined. Appearing before the judge, he suggested that the judge be converted. The enraged man instead ordered that he be beaten and hung. Thus, the prophecy of the Theotokos came to pass, and Saint Constantine proved himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord to the end.