20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
Martyrs
In the early IV century, Emperor Maximian ordered the destruction of Christian churches and the burning of liturgical books. The bishop of the city of Nicomedia was Saint Cyril, who contributed to the spread of the Christian faith. A pagan priestess named Domna, after reading the Acts of the Apostles, secretly came to Bishop Cyril and received Holy Baptism. She began to help the poor by distributing her jewels and food. For this, she and her servant Indis were imprisoned, but they were unharmed thanks to the help of Angels. Domna pretended to be insane and was removed from the palace, settling in a women's monastery.
The emperor, upon his return, ordered the search for Domna. At this time, Saint Glykerios, a Christian presbyter, refused to renounce Christ and was burned. On the feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about 20,000 Christians gathered in the Nicomedia church, the emperor ordered everyone to come out and offer sacrifices to the idols. All present refused, and the church was burned down with the worshippers inside. Among them were the abbess Agafiya and Saint Theophila. Bishop Anthimus managed to escape.
Maximian thought he had destroyed all Christians, but soon learned that they continued to profess their faith. He ordered the execution of the general Zinon for his rebuke. Saint Indis was imprisoned for refusing to participate in a pagan celebration. Saint Glykerios and other Christians were tortured but did not renounce their faith.
When Saint Domna returned to the city, she mourned for her sister martyrs. Fishermen pulled out the bodies of the martyrs Indis, Gorgonia, and Peter, and Domna reverently looked upon the holy remains. She did not leave the graves and daily performed incense before them. The emperor ordered the execution of a young man who honored the graves, and together with Domna, Saint Martyr Euphemios was executed.
