Holy 20,000 Martyrs burned in the Church at Nicomedia
302
At the beginning of the fourth century the emperor Maximian (284 to 305), co-ruler with Diocletian, gave orders to destroy the Christian churches, to burn the holy books and to deprive all Christians of citizens' rights. The persecution fell with particular fury upon Nicomedia in Bithynia, where there was a large and flourishing Christian community led by Bishop Anthimus.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about twenty thousand Christians had assembled at the cathedral church for the Liturgy, Maximian sent a herald who announced that soldiers had surrounded the building and that any who wished to live must come out and offer sacrifice to the gods. The faithful, exhorted by their bishop and by the presbyter Glycerius, refused to deny Christ. The doors were barred, kindling and tar were heaped about the church, and the whole assembly, men, women, children, presbyters and deacons, was consumed in the flames, glorifying God in their last breath.
Bishop Anthimus, who had escaped to a nearby village to continue to encourage and instruct his flock, was arrested some time afterwards and beheaded. From among those who survived the burning of the church many other martyrs went forth to confession in the days that followed, including Saint Indes, Saint Gorgonius, Saint Peter, Saint Mardonius, Saint Migdonius, Saint Dorotheus and Saint Zeno.
Saint Domna, Virgin Martyr of Nicomedia
Saint Domna was a pagan priestess in the imperial palace at Nicomedia in the days of Maximian. By the providence of God a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Saint Paul came into her hands, and her heart was set ablaze with the desire to know more of Christian teaching. With the help of a Christian girl in the palace, she went secretly to Bishop Anthimus together with her faithful servant, the eunuch Indes. The bishop catechized them both and they received holy Baptism.
Domna feigned madness in order to be released from the palace, and gave herself to a life of fasting and prayer in a women's monastery, where she was tonsured and clothed in the angelic habit. She used to take food from the imperial table and distribute it to the prisoners and the poor. When the great burning of the Christians took place at the cathedral in Nicomedia in 302, she went to the smouldering ruins, gathered up the relics of the slain and gave them honourable burial.
Discovered and arrested, she boldly confessed Christ before the emperor. After many tortures she was beheaded and her body cast into the sea, but it was washed ashore and buried by Christians. With her also are commemorated her companion the eunuch Indes, drowned in the sea for the same confession.
Saint Glycerius the Presbyter, Martyr of Nicomedia
Saint Glycerius was a presbyter of the Church of Nicomedia and a fellow labourer with Bishop Anthimus during the persecution of Maximian. Distinguished for his fervour and his eloquence in preaching, he stood firm in the time of testing when the emperor's edicts went forth ordering the destruction of the churches and the offering of sacrifice.
When Maximian came in person to the city, Glycerius openly confessed Christ before him and declared that the Christians would never renounce their faith, even under the threat of torture. He encouraged the great multitude gathered in the church on the Feast of the Nativity to remain steadfast unto death. Unable to break his confession by any threat or torment, the emperor at last ordered him to be burned alive, and so he received his crown of martyrdom around the year 303, going to the Lord whom he had so faithfully served as a priest.
Saint Simon the Myrrh-gusher, founder of Simonopetra
Saint Simon was a thirteenth-century ascetic of Mount Athos, born in the region of Macedonia and tonsured at a young age. After many years of monastic struggle in obedience to a holy elder, he withdrew to a cliff face on the south-western side of the Holy Mountain. There, on the night of the Lord's Nativity, he beheld a star descend and stand over the rocky precipice, and a voice commanded him to build a monastery in that place in honour of the Nativity of Christ.
Encouraged by this vision, and aided by the Serbian prince John Ugljesa whose daughter the saint had healed, Simon raised the celebrated cliff-top monastery now known as Simonopetra, the Rock of Simon. He governed the brotherhood with great wisdom until his peaceful repose at the end of the thirteenth century. From his relics flowed fragrant myrrh, by which many sicknesses have been healed, and for this gift the Church honours him with the title Myrrh-gusher.
The Twenty Thousand Martyrs burned to death in their church in Nicomedia
c. 304
During a fierce persecution by the Emperor Maximian of all who would not worship the idols, the Christians of Nicomedia were subjected to especially savage treatment. (Eusebius writes that every Christian in the city was killed.) Along with many others put to the sword or otherwise butchered there, we especially commemorate the large company who, despite all danger, gathered in the church to commemorate Christ’s Nativity. The Emperor, hearing of this, sent troops to surround the building so that no-one could escape, and piled heaps of timber and brush around it. Criers then gave notice that any who wished to save their lives must come out and make sacrifice to the pagan gods.
“As this announcement penetrated the church, a divine zeal, more fiery than any flame in the world, seized the deacon Agapius, who rushed to the pulpit and cried out, ‘Brethren, remember how often we have praised and extolled the Three Young Men who, when they were thrown into the Babylonian furnace, called on the whole of Creation to sing the glory of God, and how the All-Creating Word then came down in bodily appearance, to assist them and to render them invulnerable by surrounding them with a moist whistling wind. The time has now come for us to imitate them. Let us offer ourselves to a temporary death for love of our Master, in order to reign everlastingly with Him!’ The whole congregation with one voice then answered Maximian’s criers, ‘We believe in Christ God and we will give up our lives for Him!’
“As the soldiers began to set fire to the piles of wood outside, Saint Anthimus [bishop of the city, commemorated September 3] told his deacons to assemble those who were still catechumens, and he baptized and anointed them with the holy Myron. He then served the divine Liturgy, at which all present communicated in the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Armed with divine strength and closely united in a single body by Christ who dwelt in them, the holy Martyrs felt no fear as they saw the flames leap up everywhere and thick smoke begin to fill the church. With gladness they sang in unison the Song of the Three Young Men: Bless the Lord, all works of the Lord, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him for ever (Dan. 3 LXX) until the last among them suffocated and gave up his soul.
“The conflagration lasted for five days. Those who then ventured into the smouldering ruins anticipating the odour of charred flesh, found instead a heavenly scent pervading the air and the place surrounded by a brilliant light. The Saints who were glorified at this time are said to have numbered twenty thousand. Saint Anthimus himself miraculously escaped death, and so was able by his teaching to lead a large number of souls to salvation and to the new birth of holy Baptism before, in his turn, fulfilling his union with Christ by martyrdom.” (Synaxarion)
Our Holy Father Simon the Outpourer of Myrrh, Founder of Simonopetra Monastery, Mt Athos
1287
He lived during the years when Constantinople was held in captivity by the Crusaders, and the Imperial government was in exile in Nicaea. Simon fled the world at a young age and traveled to the Holy Mountain, where he submitted himself to a strict but wise Elder for many years. In time, seeking greater seclusion, he moved to a small cave on the western side of Mt Athos, near a cliff that towered a thousand feet above the sea. One night, a few days before the Feast of the Nativity, he saw a star move across the sky and come to rest above the cliff near his cave. Taking this as a demonic delusion, he ignored it; but on the Eve of Nativity, the star once again took its place above the cliff, and Simon heard a voice from heaven saying ‘Be in no doubt, Simon, faithful servant of my Son! See this sign, and do not leave this spot in search of greater solitude as you have in mind, for it is here that I want you to establish your monastery, for the salvation of many souls.’ Soon afterward, three young monks from wealthy Macedonian families, who had heard of the Saint’s holiness, came and laid their wealth at his feet, asking that he accept them as disciples. Simon sent for builders and ordered them to construct a monastery on the very edge of the precipitous cliff. The builders at first refused, saying the work was much too dangerous; but, persuaded by a miracle worked through the Saint’s prayers, they were convinced. As soon as the building was finished, the monastic community began to grow rapidly.
In his own lifetime St Simon was the source of many miracles, prophecies and healings. Once the monastery was attacked by Saracen pirates. Simon went to meet them with gifts, hoping to dissuade them from attacking. When the pirates attacked him, they were blinded, and the arm of one of them was paralyzed when he attempted to strike the Saint. All of them were healed when the holy man prayed for them, and at this wonder they all repented, received Baptism and became monks.
Saint Simon reposed in peace. A fragrant, healing balm afterwards flowed from his tomb in great quantities, so that he came to be called Myroblytis, ‘Myrrh-gusher’ or ‘Outpourer of Myrrh.’ In subsequent years, the monastery was destroyed and rebuilt more than once, and no trace now remains of the tomb.