The Church commemorates Hieromartyr Anthimus of Nicomedia, Bishop of Nicomedia. Saint Anthimus was born in Nicomedia and lived at the end of the 3rd century AD. From a young age, he was distinguished for his pious zeal for the divine. As an adult, his life was a model of wisdom and love.
His fervent teaching, inspired by apostolic zeal, almost always dwelt in the souls of the faithful since it was full of divine truths. Thanks to his spiritual clarity the Christians of Nicomedia persuaded Anthimus to become a priest and later their bishop. However, under the reign of Emperor Diocletian, he was persecuted and arrested (302 AD).
Diocletian suggested that he sacrifice to the idols in order to save himself, otherwise, he would be brutally tortured, and he showed him the torture instruments. Anthimus said: “Why are you showing them to me? Are you trying to scare me?
Execution terrifies only those who consider their earthly life as their sole pleasure and view its deprivation as a great loss. But for me, as to any Christian, they have no power on me. My body is temporary and worthless, which has only value when it is sanctified through Christ and given to life according to Christ. Therefore, punishments and sufferings are for me far more desirable than to renounce my Savior.” Then, after being horribly torturing, he was martyred by beheading.
