Great Martyr
Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth
†372
Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth — a Christian from the Gothic tribe beyond the Danube, baptized by Bishop Theophilus (a participant in the First Ecumenical Council), who became a spiritual leader of the Christian Goths and openly denounced the pagan chieftain Athanaric, for which he was seized and burned at the stake around 372; his body remained unharmed by the fire and was secretly buried, with his relics later translated to Mopsuestia and then to Constantinople.
The Great Martyr Nicetas came from the Gothic tribe living beyond the Danube and was baptized by Bishop Theophilus of Gothia — a participant in the First Ecumenical Council of 325. Nicetas became a zealous preacher of Christianity among his people and a spiritual guide to the Gothic Christian community. When the pagan Gothic chieftain Athanaric launched a brutal persecution of Christians among the Goths, St. Nicetas openly denounced his impiety. For this he was seized, tortured, and burned at the stake around 372. Tradition holds that the martyr's body remained unharmed by the flames; at night a devout man named Marianus secretly took it and, placing it in a reliquary, sent it to the martyr's homeland in Cappadocia. His relics were later translated to Mopsuestia in Cilicia, and then to Constantinople. Nicetas the Goth is venerated as one of the first martyrs among the Germanic peoples.
MERGE NOTE: the card "great_martyr_nicetas" (plain "Nicetas," with no further specifier) was a DUPLICATE of this entry — the matching feast day (Sept 15/28) confirms this is the same saint; no independent hagiography exists for a "plain Nicetas." The cards have been merged; the image has been moved here.