September 15th - St. Nicetas The Goth, Martyr

[Weedy]

September 15th - St. Nicetas The Goth, Martyr
d. 375

Saints Sabas and Nicetas are the two most renowned martyrs among the
Goths. The former is honoured on April 12, the latter, whom the Greeks
place in the class of the “great martyrs”, is commemorated on this
day. He was a Goth, born near the banks of the Danube, and converted
to the faith in his youth by Ulfilas, a great missionary among those
people, and translator of the Bible into the Gothic tongue. He
ordained Nicetas priest. In the year 372 Athanaric, king of the
Eastern Goths who bordered upon the Roman Empire toward Thrace, raised
a persecution against the Christians, occasioned by ill treatment by
the Roman authorities of a number of Goths who had taken refuge in
Moldavia from the Huns. By his order an idol was carried in a chariot
through all the towns and villages where it was suspected that any
Christians lived, and all who refused to worship it were put to death.
The usual method of the persecutors was to burn the Christians with
their children in their houses or in the churches where they were
assembled together. In the army of martyrs that glorified God on this
occasion, St. Nicetas sealed his faith and obedience with his blood,
and triumphing over sin passed to eternal glory by the death of fire.
His relics were taken to Mopsuestia in Cilicia and there enshrined,
whence it came about that this Visigothic martyr is venerated
throughout the Byzantine and Syrian churches, On September 12 the
feast is observed at Venice of another ST NICETAS, a martyr under
Diocletian.

The Greek text of the passio of St. Nicetas, as presented by the
Metaphrast, was printed with a commentary in the Acta, Sanctorum,
September, vol. v. But in the Analecta Bollandiana, vol. xxxi (1912),
pp. 209-215, the earlier original of this account has been critically
edited, with a commentary, which occupies pp. 281-287 of the same
volume.


Saint Quote:
"There would be no need for sermons, if our lives were shining; there
would be no need for words, if we bore witness with our deeds. There
would be no pagans, if we were true Christians."
--Saint John Chrysostom

Bible Quote:
For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not
the same office: So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every
one members one of another. (Rom. 12:4-5) DRB


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The Absorbeat

May the power of Your love, Lord Christ,
fiery and sweet as honey,
so absorb our hearts
as to withdraw them
from all that is under heaven.
Grant that we may be ready
to die for love of Your love,
as You died for love of our love.
Amen
--St Francis of Assisi