18th century
Saint Cosmas of Aetolia
Monk and preacher (1714–1779) who travelled through Greece founding schools.
Biography
Cosmas was born in 1714 in Aetolia, studied and became a monk on Mount Athos. He spent the last years of his life travelling through mainland Greece, the islands and Albania, preaching and founding schools.
He was put to death by the Ottomans in 1779 and was recognised as a saint in 1961. He is regarded as one of the great teachers of the Greeks under Ottoman rule.