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− | The holy and glorious [[Martyr]] '''Zlata of Meglen''' is remembered for defending her faith as a Christian.
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− | Zlata was born in the eighteenth century in the village of Slatina, in the province of Meglen, to a poor, peasant family with three other daughters. She was a meek and devout girl, wise in the wisdom of Christ and golden in both name and God-fearing heart.
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− | Once when Zlata went out to get water, some shameless Turks seized her and took her to their home. When one of them urged her to become a Muslim and be his wife, Zlata fearlessly replied: "I believe in Christ, and Him alone do I know as my [[Bridegroom]]. I will never deny Him, even though you subject me to a thousand tortures and cut me into pieces".
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− | When her parents and sisters found her, her parents said to her: "O daughter, have mercy on yourself and on us, your parents and sisters; deny Christ in words only, so that we can all be happy, for Christ is merciful. He would forgive such a sin, committed due to the necessities of life". Her poor parents, sisters, and relatives wept bitterly. However, the noble soul of St. Zlata resisted such diabolical snares. She answered them: "When you counsel me to deny Christ the true God, you are no longer my parents or my sisters. I have the Lord Jesus Christ as my father, the [[Theotokos]] as my mother, and the [[saint]]s as my brothers and sisters".
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− | The Turks then cast her into prison for three months, flogging her every day until her blood soaked the ground. Finally, they suspended her upside down and lit a fire, to suffocate her with the smoke; but God was with Zlata, and gave her strength in suffering. At last they hanged her from a tree and cut her into small pieces. Thus, this brave virgin gave her soul up to God, and went to dwell in Paradise on [[October 13]], 1796. Pieces of her [[relics]] were taken by Christians to their homes for a blessing.
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− | [[Category:Saints]]
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− | [[Category:Serbian Saints]]
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− | [[Category:Martyrs]]
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