Nicola Khasheh was born in Damascus on August 31, 1856 to pious parents, Youssef Khasheh and Mary Maqbaa. He received his education at the Patriarchal Asia School. He joined the National Orthodox Society, which sought to Arabize the Antiochian See, and was one of its most prominent workers. As a result, he suffered imprisonment, harassment, and persecution. He engaged in the silk trade. When the police pursuit of him in Damascus disrupted his work, he moved to Egypt and stayed there for eight months.
Following the election of Mr. Meletius Doumani as Patriarch in 1899 AD, the eyes of the Damascus parish turned towards Nicola Khasheh, who was ordained as a deacon on March 25, 1900, and a priest, a little more than two months later, on June 3.
Scope of service
Father Nicola served the Damascus parish “with all his energy, wisdom and experience.” (1).
He managed the Society of Saint John of Damascus for a long time and took care of its day and night schools in Al-Qassaa as well as its reading rooms. It is worth mentioning that the Society at that time had a private library full of valuable manuscripts and unique publications in various languages. (2).
Patriarch Meletius appointed him as an attaché for the Patriarchate’s work in official departments, and as his representative during his inspection visit to some areas and dioceses of the Antiochian See, such as Zahle, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Latakia, Antioch, and Alexandretta.
He took over the agency of the Patriarchal Monastery of Saidnaya for a period of time and worked hard to control its accounts and improve its endowments.
Patriarch Meletius used to send him to address various pastoral problems and crises that arose from time to time in various parts of the Antiochian See, such as Aleppo, Hasbaya, Deir Atieh, and Yabroud. In this context, Father Nicola was “very beloved, highly regarded, and a problem solver.” (3).
In 1908, Patriarch Gregory IV sent him as his patriarchal representative in the Diocese of Cilicia after the resignation of the late Mr. Alexandros Tahhan.
In Mersin, Father Nicola played a prominent role in calming the mood and defending the interests of some Christian sects, other than the Orthodox, following the massacres that took place in the province.
In Mersin, Father Nicola sought to reform the endowments and the Church of the Archangels. He also reopened two schools there, one for boys and the other for girls. He was interested in establishing an association to help the poor and another to take care of the girls’ school. He also strengthened the National Council. He was favored by the Mutasarrif of Mersin for his integrity, zeal, and gentleness.
When World War I broke out, he played a role in embracing needy families, interceding for the oppressed, and facilitating the affairs of the parish with the official authorities.
His virtues and merits
This is how his son, the martyr in the priests Habib, described him. (4)He said: “May God have mercy on him, he was generous, hospitable, cheerful, with an iron will, wisdom, steadfastness, and compassion for the oppressed. It was his nature to sacrifice everything he could to help the weak of any sect or race. The notables of Beirut and Damascus, who were exiled in Mersin during the war, will never forget his kindness and care. He was not afraid of blame, nor did he care about favor in the way of truth. The clergy of the Antiochian See all knew him well, and they respected his opinions, influence, and sincerity, and appreciated his services. He was jealous of religion and knowledge, read a lot, and mixed a lot with all classes of people. He achieved his desires in the best way. He reconciled between two parties and won the love of both of them. He knew how to deal with each person according to his understanding and position. He had great influence and status among those in authority and those of high status and position. He knew how to treat them and accomplish the tasks related to them. “In general, he was a sociable man and a servant of the people in every sense of the word” (Habib Khasheh, Memorial of a Martyr, 1920, p. 7).
Father Nicola was also a bold orator and an eloquent preacher. The Damascus parish continued to remember his impromptu sermons in the Mariamite Church, long after his martyrdom. Mr. Athanasius Atallah, Bishop of Homs and its dependencies, said about him after his martyrdom: “I remember his fluency and his eloquence in preaching and interpretation, which reminds us of John Chrysostom.” (5).
His martyrdom
The news of the martyrdom of Father Nicola reported that a man from Mersin named George, one of the Orthodox parishioners there, was forced by poverty and destitution to move to the island of Cyprus. There he contacted the British consul in Mersin, called Khawaja Abila, who commissioned him to deliver letters to a number of well-known people in Mersin in exchange for a sum of money. George carried the letters and returned to his country. But before he could distribute them to their owners, it occurred to him to consult Father Nicola. When he presented the matter to him, he rebuked him and prevented him from carrying out his mission. Then he took the letters from him, destroyed them, and concealed the news. But George soon moved towards Cyprus again, out of love for money, and the Turks arrested him. When Commander Baha al-Din, who was known for his hostility towards Christians, subjected him to torture, he confessed that he had contacted Father Nicola. The priest and a number of the community’s notables were brought in for investigation. Baha' al-Din's goal, from the beginning, was to extract confessions from those arrested, considering them accused of treason, regardless of whether they were innocent or guilty. One narrator says that the commander would issue to the investigation committee "order after order to inflict on the accused the most horrific methods of torture that the human mind can invent, so that their decision would be in accordance with his malicious desire to accuse the innocent of the crime of treason against the homeland and enjoy the pleasure of revenge." (6)After most of the accused had no room to endure the torture, they were forced to sign a confession of collaboration and treason. As for Father Nicola, neither hunger nor pain deterred him from his determination. He did not care about the whips, the pulling out of nails, or the breaking of his ribs. He endured with utmost fortitude the brutality of a huge guard who spent the entire night throwing his huge body on Father Nicola’s thin chest. He did not utter a word nor mention any of the names of those to whom the letters were addressed, lest he expose any of them to harm. His consolation in his suffering was reciting chapters from the Holy Bible. The executioners continued to beat and smash Father Nicola until they shattered his skull, and he died a martyr for Christ, jealous for what belongs to God and to the people of God. That was on the second of August in the year 1917.
Testimonies of his time (7)
* In a letter from Patriarch Gregory IV, addressed on November 17, 1918, to the martyr’s family in Egypt, the following was stated: “He held fast to the trust and entrusted himself to the hand of his Creator, certain that he would receive the crown of life in the eternal glory of the saints” (p. 14).
* Mr. Athanasius Atallah, Metropolitan of Homs and its dependencies, said about him: “The image of the martyred priest, the thrice-blessed Father Nicola Khasheh, does not pass through my mind until I remember at first glance the stance of the righteous and faithful servant who fought well during his military service, as he awaited the last word of his Master… There, at that terrible hour… that sweet word appears… announcing that divine justice has valued his services and is rewarding him for what he did…” (p. 14).
* Mr. Gerasimos Massara, Metropolitan of Beirut and its dependencies, said about him: “… We knew him as a layman and then as a cleric, and in both cases he was an example of righteousness and goodness, a model of virtuous conduct, a model of good deeds, and a true father to his spiritual children… He met his end under the most severe injustice… His death was a martyr’s death, remembered with praise by the children of the Church, and written for him by the Creator in the record of faithful children in the Book of Life…” (p. 16).
* Mr. Alexandros Tahhan, Metropolitan of Tripoli and its dependencies, said about him: “… In an age when people rush to invent tricks to escape death… we see a reverent image in which the soul of Father Nicolas Khasheh appears before us, offering his body, exhausted from the torture of the tortured and the lack of food, to save others. This is a… shining image of the great image that the world saw one day on Golgotha, the day the Redeemer of the world was crucified for the salvation of mankind… I will mention your name as an example of the faithful shepherds of their flock, and I will mention you and your work whenever I mention your service in Mersin, the country where you served the souls of your flock with faithful service and died for them the death of heroes to save others” (pp. 16-17).
* Mr. Elia Dib, Bishop of Tyre, Sidon and their dependencies, mourned him in a long poem, some of whose verses are as follows (pp. 21-22):
Sound opinion, bold, daring, and very firm among the workers
Wise in his ways, useful, glorious in his deeds, and dignified
How many a broken man his care has mended, and how many a sad man his sermons have comforted.
How many strangers have been sheltered by his cheerfulness, and how many prisoners have been included in his care?
How many sleepless nights I spend to relieve the sorrows of the miserable
I am not exaggerating in describing a friend whose appearance was acknowledged by the eyes
He loved the children of the church, so the children loved him.
The highest part of it is the space, and the wind rides it on its back.
The Most High was crowned with a crown of pride and his forehead was adorned with his radiance.
And his virtues clothed him in a luminous robe, like the two luminaries.
And here he is hearing their congratulations and singing with the rows of singers.
* Mr. Raphael Nimr, Metropolitan of Aleppo, Alexandretta and their dependencies, said about him: “… He was one of those who traded with their weights and gained many times over… He died a martyr at the hands of injustice and oppression, crowned with loyalty… His actions reminded us… of the struggle of the martyrs and the righteous…” (p. 23).
* From a poem in which Father Bernard Nahhas, the administrator of the Basilian Order of Aleppo (Royal Catholic), mourned him, we quote the following verses (pp. 24-25):
If the Most Gracious has decreed the death of a person, we have no choice but to submit to the Lord of creation.
But if someone has never committed a crime, how will he die the most difficult death?
As if he had passed away with light crowning his head and the soldiers of glory marching with him in joy
He is Father Nicholas, whose injustice spread all over the world.
He lived and did not leave the innocent, and he died as a martyr, of good reputation and high virtue.
May God water the land where his remains rest with clouds of contentment and forgiveness for every mistake.
* Mrs. Rosa Tawfiq Iskandar from Heliopolis, Egypt, wrote about him, saying: “… Blessed are you, our compassionate father, for your patience in the face of what you have endured. Blessed are your zeal, wisdom, and devotion… Blessed are your compassion for the weak and the needy… Your noble memory… in the way of helping the weak will not be erased by the days from the heart of everyone who knew you” (p. 26).
* Seraphim Effendi Kassab, who knew him years before his martyrdom in Damascus, wrote about him from Cairo, saying: “… I knew him to be pure, pious, not fanatical, devout, a devoted worker, a pioneer in doing good deeds, an influential preacher and orator with a flowing tongue, sweet in speech, charming in company, cheerful in face but nervous in temperament… He would say to the doer of good, ‘Well done’, and to the doer of evil, ‘bad’, without fear or dread… As for his home life, it was an example to be emulated… Will you… inspire our souls… to place your example before our eyes so that we may be able to cross this ford full of dangers?!… Perhaps your unspoken words, in words that are heard, are more effective in souls than your spoken words!…” (pp. 29-30).
* Issa Iskandar Al-Maalouf mourned him with verses including (pp. 30-31):
It is hard for me that you died as a martyr in Mersin, far from your homeland.
And that you are wronged without guilt, and they have heated up the iron to kill you.
I tasted death in all its forms with amazing patience. I saw death as a celebration.
Your peers, the righteous, were like those who shed their blood like pus.
I attained their crown of glory and was happy in the other paradise.
Najib Al-Ladhiqani from Beirut also mourned him with verses including (p. 32):
They forcibly removed Father Nicola and the soldiers of the Khana who followed him.
They beat him with sticks after they had made him very weak and his ribs weak.
They killed him, patient and resigned to death, and death did not frighten him.
They reported that he had died of a heart condition.
O priest, blessed are you, for you have attained a crown of high status.
* Al-Hawadeth newspaper in Tripoli, Syria (issue 343, dated July 22, 1919) spoke about the martyred priest Nicola Khasheh, considering him “that sacrifice who preferred death to violating the sanctity of duty… in order to redeem hundreds of his sons.” It noted that “the greatest evidence of the virtue of this martyred priest is the consensus of everyone on his love and appreciation of his virtue.” Then it addressed him, saying: “You lived the life of righteous workers and died the death of good martyrs, so the memory of this martyrdom will not be erased by the passage of time” (pp. 33-34).
* In a letter written by teacher Hanna Yasmin in Mersin, the following was stated: “… I saw him and was with him during the days of the massacre in Adana Province. He used to roam the streets of Mersin day and night, calming the anxiety of the people. He invited me to roam with him more than once at night for this purpose… He treated every person well, regardless of their religion… He was gentle… He treated the young and old with respect and humility… Everyone who saw him loved him… I often used to take him to do some work, but I would be overwhelmed by how often he would stand on the road with the people he met… He was a human being in every sense of the word…” (pp. 36-37).
* And “The Mersin Girl” who was a student at the school established by Father Nicola there, I say I wrote an article entitled “He died, and whoever remembers him will not die”, in which it said: “He died as no one else dies… while he was completing the prayer for the salvation of his people and the country… He offered his soul as a ransom for others… He was a faithful shepherd for Mersin… Mersin came as a true man of God… I would find him behind his desk writing until sunset, connecting his night with his day, burning himself like a candle to light the path of darkness… He had a determination that knew no boredom and rare wisdom… A caring father to the poor and a loyal brother to the rich… He always guided him and reminded him of his miserable, poor brother… He is the master of oratory and a prince of the princes of the pulpits… A struggling father, it is difficult to find someone like him… As for your memory, it will remain immortal throughout the days” (pp. 38-40).
* In the New York Mirror of the West (Wednesday, January 8, 1919), an article appeared written by one of the graduates of the school in Mersin. It said that he was “a father who watches over the welfare of his flock as a mother watches over her child. He is the defender of the entire community, and the youth in particular, from the aggression of the government. How many times did he protect them in his home, assuming responsibility, and go to defend them like a lion in the house of the unjust government, risking his life, only to return with the wreath of victory hanging over his head thanks to his literary courage, his famous brilliance, and the protection of Russia… I feel my inability and inadequacy to record his glorious deeds, but the voice of my conscience refused to be silent about the source of the credit…” (pp. 42-44).
* In a requiem mass held for his soul in the Syrian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, headed by Bishop Aftimius and his clergy, he was eulogized by the senior priest Basilios Kharbaoui, who described the persecutions that the men of the Christian Church had faced since ancient times. He said that the killing of Father Nicola was nothing but one of those persecutions, and that he was therefore one of the martyrs on whose steadfastness in faith and patriotism the foundations of principles were built. The image of the martyr was distributed to the worshippers as they left the church (quoted from the New York Tourist newspaper, issue 27/2/1919). (Memory of a Martyr, p. 45).
(On the Forgotten Saints in the Antiochian Heritage by Archimandrite Thomas Bitar)
(1) The information we have provided in this biography was borrowed, mainly, from a booklet by the martyred priest Habib Khasheh, son of priest Nicola, which he wrote and printed at the Hilal Press in Egypt in 1920. In this booklet, priest Habib collected what he was able to collect at that time of letters, articles and news, at home and abroad, that dealt with his father’s martyrdom. Here is the title of the booklet: In Memory of a Martyr “Elegies said for the martyr of the Church and the homeland, the thrice-merciful priest Nicola Khasheh of Damascus.” Egypt: Hilal Press, 1920.
To this end, we have relied on a manuscript paper prepared by Joseph Zeitoun, the Patriarchal Documents Secretary in Damascus, on 12/14/1992, in which he relied on a number of research sources that we find useful to mention to readers:
A - Patriarchal documents (Diocese of Damascus, Mersin)
B- Patriarchal Records. Draft of the Commission Register 1892-1894
C- Habib Khasheh, a martyr of the church and patriotism
D- Oral narratives
H- Observations from the trip of His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV to Antioch, Alexandretta and Cilicia (visit to Mersin) 1992.
The title of Joseph Zeitoun's paper is:
Olive Joseph, Martyr of the Church and Nationalism: Martyr Father Nicolas Khasheh. Manuscript article.
It is worth mentioning that an article entitled “The Martyr Priest Nicola Khasha of Damascus and His Son, the Martyr Priest Habib Khasha” appeared in the “Orthodox Notables” section of the Patriarchate Bulletin, July 1994 issue, pp. 33-45.
(2) Martyr's Memorial. Page 5
(3) Martyr of the Church and Patriotism. P1
(4) Martyr's Memorial. P7
(5) Same source. p. 15
(6) Same source, p. 11.
(7) These are all borrowed from the booklet “Memory of a Martyr.”
