Agathonicus and Companions
Encyclopedia
Saint Agathonicus was a 3rd century citizen of Nicomedia
. While living in Greece, he taught the Greeks about Christianity
. Meanwhile, the imperial governor began persecuting Christians, following the orders of Emperor Maximian. In this persecution, Agathonicus' companion Zoticus was seized in Carpe
, and his followers were crucified. He was sent to Nicomedia
, where Agathonicus and his companions Princeps, Theoprepius, Acyndinus, Severian, Zeno, along with many others, were then taken to Byzantium
. On this journey, many of the companions died from exhaustion and abuse, and the others were killed in Chalcedon
. The survivors were taken to Thrace in Selymbria, where, after being tortured in front of the Greek Emperor, were beheaded.
Their feast day is celebrated on November 2. In the Eastern Orthodox Church their festaday is August 22.
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
. While living in Greece, he taught the Greeks about Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Meanwhile, the imperial governor began persecuting Christians, following the orders of Emperor Maximian. In this persecution, Agathonicus' companion Zoticus was seized in Carpe
CARPE
CARPE the Central African Regional Program for the Environment is a United States Agency for International Development initiative aimed at promoting sustainable natural resource management in the Congo Basin. It aims at protecting the forest in countries such as Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic...
, and his followers were crucified. He was sent to Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
, where Agathonicus and his companions Princeps, Theoprepius, Acyndinus, Severian, Zeno, along with many others, were then taken to Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
. On this journey, many of the companions died from exhaustion and abuse, and the others were killed in Chalcedon
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
. The survivors were taken to Thrace in Selymbria, where, after being tortured in front of the Greek Emperor, were beheaded.
Their feast day is celebrated on November 2. In the Eastern Orthodox Church their festaday is August 22.