- The Twenty Thousand Martyrs burned to death in their church in Nicomedia (~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.
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"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!'
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"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.
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"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)
source: http://www.abbamoses.com
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