Twenty Thousand Martyrs of Nicomedia

The Twenty Thousand Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia.

The Twenty Thousand Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia suffered at the beginning of the fourth century, in the great persecution under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. According to tradition, a vast multitude of Christians had gathered in the church of Nicomedia for the feast of the Nativity when the building was surrounded; commanded to sacrifice to the idols, they refused as one, and the church was set alight, the faithful within perishing in the flames with prayer on their lips.

The Church honors them as a whole congregation crowned together. They are commemorated on December 28.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Twenty Thousand Martyrs of Nicomedia is commemorated on December 28. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on January 10 of the civil calendar.

Also commemorated on December 28

• Indes, Gorgonius and the Martyrs of Nicomedia

  Martyr, Ίνδης, Γοργόνιος, Πέτρος, Ζήνων, Δωρόθεος, Μαρδόνιος

  Holy Martyrs Indes, Gorgonius, Peter, Zeno, Dorotheus, Mardonius, Glycerius, Migdonius and Theophilus of Nicomedia.

• Domna of Nicomedia

  Holy Woman, Δόμνα

  Holy Martyr Domna of Nicomedia, a former pagan priestess.

  Name days: Domna

• Simon the Myrrh-gusher

  Venerable, Σίμων ο Μυροβλήτης

  Venerable Simon the Myrrh-gusher, founder of the Monastery of Simonopetra on Mount Athos.

• Secundus the Martyr

  Martyr, Σεκούνδος

  Holy Martyr Secundus.

• Ignatius of Loma

  Venerable, Ιγνάτιος της Λόμα

  Venerable Ignatius of Loma and Yaroslavl.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.