The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia refers to a period of persecution in Nicomedia by the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in the early fourth century. According to various martyrology and menologion, the persecution included the burning of a church that held numerous Christians on Christmas Day. Roman martyrology reports four groups of martyrs from that time. While the number 20,000 may be apocryphal, the martyrs of Nicomedia continue to be honored with feast days.
They are commemorated on the 28 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and by the Byzantine Catholic and Latin Rite Catholic Churches.
Famous quotes containing the word martyrs:
“No one can understand Paris and its history who does not understand that its fierceness is the balance and justification of its frivolity. It is called a city of pleasure; but it may also very specially be called a city of pain. The crown of roses is also a crown of thorns. Its people are too prone to hurt others, but quite ready also to hurt themselves. They are martyrs for religion, they are martyrs for irreligion; they are even martyrs for immorality.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)