The Martyrs Anicetus and Photius (his nephew) were natives of Nicomedia. Anicetus, a military official, denounced the emperor Diocletian (284-305) for setting up in the city square an implement of execution for frightening Christians. The enraged emperor ordered Saint Anicetus to be tortured, and later condemned him to be devoured by wild beasts. But the lions they set loose became gentle and fawned at his feet.
Suddenly there was a strong earthquake, resulting in the collapse of the pagan temple of Hercules, and many pagans perished beneath the demolished city walls. The executioner took up a sword to cut off the saint’s head, but he fell down insensible. They tried to break Saint Anicetus on the wheel and burn him with fire, but the wheel stopped and the fire went out. They threw the martyr into a furnace with boiling tin, but the tin became cold. Thus the Lord preserved His servant for the edification of many.
The martyr’s nephew, Saint Photius, saluted the sufferer and turned to the emperor, saying, “O idol-worshipper, your gods are nothing!” The sword, held over the new confessor, struck the executioner instead. Then the martyrs were thrown into prison.
After three days Diocletian urged them, “Worship our gods, and I shall give you glory and riches.” The martyrs answered, “May you perish with your honor and riches!” Then they tied them by the legs to wild horses. Though the saints were dragged along the ground, they remained unharmed. They did not suffer in the heated bath house, which fell apart. Finally, Diocletian ordered a great furnace to be fired up, and many Christians, inspired by the deeds of Saints Anicetus and Photius, went in themselves saying, “We are Christians!” They all died with a prayer on their lips. The bodies of Saints Anicetus and Photius were not harmed by the fire, and even their hair remained whole. Seeing this, many of the pagans came to believe in Christ. This occurred in the year 305.
Saints Anicetus and Photius are mentioned in the prayers for the Blessing of Oil and the Lesser Blessing of Water (Book of Needs 1987, p. 230).
Emperor Diocletian once visited the city of Nicomedia with the evil intention of completely exterminating the Christians. But when he began his merciless torture of Christians, Anicetas, one of the high ranking officials of the city, boldly confessed his faith in Christ the Lord before the emperor. Anicetas also denounced the idols as deaf and dumb stones, the worship of which is unworthy of a rational man. The emperor had Anicetas’s tongue cut out; but Anicetas, by the power of God, continued to speak. They then released a lion against him, but the lion fawned about him. At that very moment, the temple of Hercules collapsed. Photius, a kinsman of Anicetas, seeing the miracles and endurance of Anicetas, kissed him, declared himself a Christian, and cried out to the emperor: “O idolator, be ashamed! Your gods are nothing!” The emperor then ordered that Anicetas be immediately beheaded. However, in raising his hand against holy Photius, the executioner struck himself with the sword and died. After prolonged tortures, both Anicetas and Photius were cast into prison, where they languished for three years. Then a fire was lighted in an enormous furnace, and they cast them in. Many other Christians–men, women and children–willingly followed them into the fire. The prayer of the Christians, praising God for their martydom in the flames, issued forth from the furnace. They all suffered in about the year 305 A.D. Saints Anicetas and Photius are invoked in the prayers of the Sacrament of Holy Unction [Anointing with Oil] and in the Blessing of Water.
These Martyrs contested in Nicomedia about the year 288. When Diocletian stirred up his persecution of the Christians, Anicetus presented himself openly and said that all who worship idols are blind and senseless. He was beaten with rods so ruthlessly that his bones appeared from the rents and wounds in his flesh. As he was suffering further torments, his nephew Photius came and embraced him, calling him his father and his uncle. He was also put to many tortures with him. They were then imprisoned together for three years. Finally they were cast into a furnace, where they gave up their spirits, and their bodies were preserved unharmed. Saint Anicetus is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.
Source: oca.org / goarch.org / westserbdio.org
