Holy Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth — September 15 / September 28 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, September 15 according to the Julian Calendar (September 28 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth.

The Holy Great Martyr Nicetas, a Gothic warrior, lived in the fourth century on the banks of the Danube. By this time the Christian faith had already spread widely in the land of the Goths. St. Nicetas was enlightened with the light of the Gospel by the local bishop Theophilus, a participant in the First Ecumenical Council. The pagan Goths resisted the establishment of Christianity in the country, which led to internal strife. After the leader of the Christian forces, Fritigern, defeated the pagan Athanaric, the preaching of the saving teaching among the barbarians advanced with ever-growing success. Bishop Ulfilas created the Gothic alphabet and translated many liturgical books into the Gothic language. By his life and inspired words he converted many of the godless to Christianity; but after his own defeat, Athanaric was able to gather his strength again, returned to his homeland, and once more clothed himself in his former power.

Remaining devoted to the false faith of the idolaters, Athanaric hated the Christians as before and persecuted them fiercely. St. Nicetas boldly denounced the lawless ruler and tried to set him on the path of true worship, but Athanaric seized the Lord’s chosen one and, after terrible torments, cast him into the fire. Thus the Great Martyr Nicetas ended his life around the year 372. The saint’s friend, the Christian Marianus, searched by night and found the martyr’s body completely unharmed by the fire and shining with a wondrous light; he carried it to Cilicia and buried it there. Some of his incorrupt relics were later transferred to Serbia.