The Martyrdom of Saint Demetrius is a Cretan icon from the Byzantine period (figure 1). It is dated to the late fifteenth century AD. The icon consists of a tempera painting adorned with gold foil on a wooden board measuring seventeen inches high by fourteen and one-quarter inches wide by five-eighths inches wide. thickness. Although the Martyrdom of St. Demetrius originally hung on the wall of a church or cathedral, it now resides in the Menil Collection. As the title suggests, the scene is that of the Martyrdom of Saint Demetrius. The 4th-century emperor Galerius ordered the death of Saint Demetrius after the emperor lost his favorite gladiator to a Christian whom Saint Demetrius had blessed before the fight. The artist of this icon composed the scene in a dynamic and condensed manner. Six soldiers stand to the left of the scene, each twisted in motion as they stab Saint Demetrius. These figures overlap a lot with each other, which makes this part of the scene the most chaotic. The crowding and confusion give this area greater visual weight. The long, thin spears wielded by these assassins form sharp diagonals as they cross the violent scene and impale the saint. Saint Demetrius collapses on the right, having fallen, it seems, onto some kind of platform. A stone entrance or niche directly behind San Demetrio frames it and visually breaks up the scene. While the six men kill him, Saint Demetrius receives the crown of martyrdom from an angel above him, depicted as a small winged figure. St. Loupos looks ahead from the right as his friend bleeds from his many wounds, though he is mostly invisible due to the less-than-ideal condition of the icon. Despite the age of the artwork, it still conveys the same narrative as the original placement. However... half of the card... martyrdom for the strength of his faith and his ultimate sacrifice. This suggests to the viewer that he too should be willing to give his life for his faith. The icon also fulfills a second task: that of educating the faithful about the traditions of the church and the life of the saints. In easy-to-understand visual language, this icon clearly depicts a sacred figure being simultaneously killed and rewarded, presumably for his sacrifice. The artist even went so far as to label for the viewer the most important character in the story, Saint Demetrius. This artwork not only visually engages the viewer as a beautiful example of Byzantine tempera painting, but also elicits a spiritual response from its audience. Martyrdom of Saint Demetrius venerates Saint Demetrius and his sacrifice to instill in his audience the same strength of faith seen in the martyr's final moments.