20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia

The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia refers to victims of persecution of Christians in Nicomedia, Bithynia (modern Izmit, Turkey) by the Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in the early 4th century AD.

20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
Miniature from the Menologion of Basil II honoring the Martyrs of Nicomedia
Martyrs
Diedc. 4th century
Nicomedia, Bithynia
Venerated in
CanonizedPre-Congregation
Feast23 June (Roman Catholicism)
28 December (Eastern Orthodoxy)
AttributesCrown of martyrdom
Martyr's palm
PatronagePersecuted Christians

According to various martyrologies and menologion, the persecution included the burning of a church that held numerous Christians on Christmas Day.

This event took place when the emperor Maximian (284-305) returned with victory over Ethiopians in 304 AD. It happened after they had refused to sacrifice to idols during Christmas Mass in order to thank gods for the victory he had acquired.[1] Later Maximian and his soldiers entered the church and told the Christians they could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. The Christian priest Glycerius answered that the Christians would never "renounce their faith, even under the threat of torture". Maximian ordered him to be burned to death. Those who had not been burned in the church were captured and tortured to death. The bishop Anthimos who had escaped burning in the church was captured and beheaded.

The number 20,000 may be apocryphal.[2] However, the martyrs of Nicomedia continue to be honored with feast days:[2] they are commemorated on 28 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and by the Byzantine Catholic Churches.[3] In the Roman Martyrology of the Roman Catholic Church, there are separate entries for groups of martyrs of Nicomedia. The martyrdom of Anthimus of Nicomedia and companions is commemorated on 24 April and "the commemoration of many holy martyrs of Nicomedia" on June 23.

See also

References
  1. 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia Retrieved on 3 Feb 2018
  2. Michael J. Walsh (30 July 2007). A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West. Liturgical Press. p. 401. ISBN 978-0-8146-3186-7. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  3. "The 20,000 Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia". St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

Encyclopedia of Saints, Second Edition (2014). Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor; 2nd ed. edition (July 2, 2014), ISBN 1612787169

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.