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Commemorated on March
23rd
The Monk Martyr Nikon was born at Neapolis (Naples). His father was a pagan,
and his mother a Christian. He was not baptized, but his mother secretly
instructed him in the tenets of Christianity. Nikon was still a pagan when he
reached adulthood. He served as a soldier, and showed unusual courage and
strength.
Once, Nikon and his military company were surrounded by enemies. In deadly
peril, he remembered the Christian precepts of his mother and, signing himself
with the Sign of the Cross, he prayed to God, vowing to be baptized if he were
saved. Filled with unusual strength, he killed many of the enemy, and put the
rest to flight.
He managed to return home, giving thanks to God for preserving his life. With
the blessing of his mother, he set off in search of a priest. This was no easy
thing to do in a time of persecution. St Nikon took a ship to the island of
Chios. He went up on a high mountain and spent eight days in fasting and prayer,
entreating the Lord to help him.
An angel of God appeared to St Nikon in a dream, showing him the way. St Nikon
went to Mount Ganos, where many monks were hidden, headed by Theodosius the
Bishop of Cyzicus. St Nikon received from the bishop both the mystery of Baptism
and the angelic schema (i.e., monastic tonsure). Living in the cave church, St
Nikon became an example for all the brethren.
When St Nikon had lived on the mountain for three years, an angel revealed to
the bishop that St Nikon should be consecrated bishop, and should move to the
province of Sicily with all the monks. Bishop Theodosius obeyed the angel, and
then died after he had entrusted the 190 monks to St Nikon. After he buried
Bishop Theodosius, St Nikon sailed to Sicily with the brethren, and so was saved
from approaching barbarians.
By God's grace, St Nikon came to his native city Neapolis. He found his mother
still alive, and he remained with her for the final day of her life. His mother
collapsed on his chest with tears of joy and kissed him. Making a prostration to
the ground, she said, "I give thanks to You, O Lord, for You have permitted me
to see my son as a monk, and as a bishop. Now, my Lord, hear Your servant, and
receive my soul." When she had finished this prayer, the righteous woman died.
Those present glorified God and buried her with psalmody.
Rumors of St Nikon's arrival spread through the city, and ten soldiers, his
former companions, came to see him. After conversing with the saint they
believed and were baptized, and went with him to Sicily. Having arrived on the
island, St Nikon settled with the monks in a desolate area, called Gigia, near
the river Asinum.
Many years passed, and there was another persecution against Christians.
Quintilian, the governor of Sicily, was informed that Bishop Nikon was living
nearby with many monks. All 199 monks were seized and beheaded, but they left St
Nikon alive in order to torture him.
They burned him with fire, yet he remained unharmed. They tied him to the tails
of wild horses to be dragged over the ground, but the horses would not budge
from the spot. They cut out the saint's tongue, threw him off a high cliff, and
finally beheaded him. The body of the hieromartyr Nikon was left in a field to
be eaten by wild beasts and birds.
A certain shepherd, possessed by an evil spirit, went to that place, and finding
the body of the saint, he immediately fell to the ground on his face. The
unclean spirit, vanquished by the power of the saint, had thrown him to the
ground and gone out from him with a loud shriek: "Woe is me, woe is me, where
can I flee from Nikon?"
The healed shepherd related this to the people. The bishop of the city of
Messina also learned of this, then he and his clergy buried the bodies of St
Nikon and his disciples.
Troparion Tone 4
Having conquered the crafty one by thine asceticism/ thou didst become a rule
and model to thy disciples/ by thy holy life, O Father Nikon./ With them thou
didst contend for the Faith in the West./ You have all attained to glory in
heaven.
Kontakion Tone 8
Of like discipline with ascetics, and rivaling holy Athletes in zeal,/ O
steadfast and righeous Martyrs, you were offered to the Lord through martyrdom./
For you had as your sure guide the glorious Nikon./ Fighting together with him
you sang: Alleluia.
Source: www.oca.org,
Menologian Software 2.0
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