{"id":26799,"date":"2024-09-09T20:02:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T20:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=26799"},"modified":"2024-09-09T20:02:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T20:02:47","slug":"st-peter-news-september-10-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-news-september-10-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter News September 10, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunday After the Elevation of the Holy Cross<\/h2>\n

Great-Martyr Nikitas the Goth and those with him<\/h4>\n
\n\"St.<\/p>\n

St. Nikita the Goth<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Who is the Great Martyr Nikitas the Goth?<\/h2>\n

Saint Nikitas was a warrior who lived with the Gothic tribes on the eastern side of the Danube River within the boundaries of present-day Romania. He was a convert to Christianity of the Gothic Bishop Theophilus, a well-known enlightener of the Goths, who also had baptized Nikitas.<\/p>\n

At the time there was internecine warfare among the Goths, in particular between Prince Athanarichus, who hated Christians, and Frigentus who revenged a defeat by Athanarichus with the help of Arian emperor Valens, forcing Athanarichus into exile. After Frigentus’ victory the Christian Goths enjoyed a period of peace during which Bishop Hierarch Urphilus, successor to Bp. Theophilus, created the Gothic alphabet and translated many spiritual books from Greek into Gothic. St. Nikitas participated during these time by his preaching the Gospel while living a pious life, which greatly aided the confirmation of the Christian faith among the Goths.<\/p>\n

However, after a few years, Athanarichus returned to his homeland with a large army and warfare among the Goths started again. As part of his actions, Athanarichus raised a fierce persecution against the Christians. Nikitas, who had become a spiritual leader among the Christian Goths, denounced Athanarichus for godlessness and cruelty. He called on the faithful to be firm and not to fear martyrdom. Athanarichus soon had Nikitas seized.<\/p>\n

Nikitas was then given over to cruel tortures and, finally, was thrown into a fire where he died on September 15, 372. A friend of Nikitas, a Christian named Marianus, found his remains during the night and transferred them to Cilicia. Since then, miracles and cures have occurred before the relics of the holy Martyr Nikitas. A particle of his relics is held in the monastery of Vysokie Dechany in Serbia.<\/p>\n

Source: Orthodox Wiki<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Services and Events This Week<\/h2>\n