Nikitas the Great Martyr

Great Martyr Nikitas the Goth.

St. Nikitas the Great Martyr was a Goth living beyond the Danube in the fourth century. Converted to Christ, he confessed the faith boldly among his own people, and when a persecution arose against the Christians of that land he was seized, tortured, and given over to death by fire around the year 372.

His relics were reverently recovered by a friend and became a source of blessing to the faithful. Widely venerated in Greece, where his name means victor, he is commemorated on September 15.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Nikitas the Great Martyr is commemorated on September 15. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on September 28 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Nikitas, Nicetas

Also commemorated on September 15

• Philotheos the Presbyter

  Venerable, Φιλόθεος

  Venerable Philotheos the Presbyter and Wonderworker of Bithynia.

  Name days: Philotheos, Filotheos, Philotheus

• Bessarion of Larissa

  Hierarch, Βησσαρίων Λαρίσης

  St. Bessarion, Archbishop of Larissa, founder of the Dousikou Monastery.

  Name days: Vissarion, Bessarion, Vissarionas

• John the New Martyr of Crete

  Martyr, Ιωάννης ο Κρης

  New Martyr John of Crete, martyred at New Ephesus under the Ottomans.

• Porphyrios the Mime

  Martyr, Πορφύριος ο Μίμος

  Holy Martyr Porphyrios the actor, baptized on stage and martyred for Christ.

• Symeon of Thessaloniki

  Hierarch, Συμεών Θεσσαλονίκης

  St. Symeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, liturgist and theologian.

• Joseph the New of Partos

  Hierarch, Ιωσήφ ο Νέος

  St. Joseph the New of Partos, Metropolitan of Timisoara.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.