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Holy Martyr Nicetas 9/28/2013
The Holy Martyr Nicetas was a Goth by birth and a disciple of Theophilus, the Bishop of Goths, who participated in the First Ecumenical Council. When the Prince of Goths Athanaric let loose a violent persecution of Christians, Saint Nicetas came before him and rebuked him for his atheism and his brutality. Put under terrible tortures, Nicetas yet more strongly confessed his faith in Christ and prayed to God with gratitude. And his mind was constantly elevated and immersed in God, and under his clothes he kept on his heart the icon of the most Holy Mother of God with the pre-eternal youth Christ, standing with His cross in His hands. Saint Nicetas kept this icon for the Holy Mother of God appeared to him and consoled him. At last the torturer threw the Christ's soldier into the fire, and so he gave back his soul to God, but his body was left intact. His friend Marianus translated the body from the Land of the Goths (Romania) in Cilicia in the town of Mopsuestia, where he built a church dedicated to St Nicetas and laid his miracle-working relics in the church. St Nicetas suffered and was glorified by God in the year 372.
