In the years 853 to 854, when the Arab Muslims invaded Georgia, the 85 year-old Prince Konstantin commanded the army of Kartli with his son Tarkhuj. Overwhelmed by the huge numbers of Arab troops massed against them, the Georgians suffered defeat, and Konstantin and Tarkhuj were taken captive.
The captive Konstantin-Kakhi was sent to Samarra (a city in central Iraq) to the caliph Ja’far al Mutawakkil (847–861). Ja’far was well aware of the enormous respect Konstantin-Kakhi received from the Georgians and all the Christian people who knew him. Having received him with honour, he proposed that Konstantin renounce the Christian Faith and threatened him with death in the case of his refusal. Strengthened by divine grace, the courageous prince fearlessly answered, “Your sword does not frighten me. I am afraid of Him Who can destroy my soul and body and Who has the power to resurrect and to kill, for He is the true God, the almighty Sovereign, Ruler of the world, and Father unto all ages!”
The enraged caliph ordered the beheading of Saint Konstantin-Kakhi. Bowing on his knees, the holy martyr lifted up a final prayer to the Lord. St. Constantine-Kakhi was martyred on November 23, 852. The holy martyr’s body was hung from a high pillar to intimidate the Christian believers, but after some time it was buried.
A few years later a group of faithful Georgians transported Saint Konstantine’s body to his motherland and reburied them there with great honour. In that same century the Georgian Orthodox Church numbered Prince Constantine-Kakhi of Kartli among the saints.
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