Holy Hieromartyr Anthimus 9/16/2013
He was born in Nicomedia and from his early childhood brought up as a true Christian. His body was mortified, his spirit humbled, his envy was extinguished, anger tamed, laziness banished...he was full of love for everyone, at peace with everyone; full of wisdom in the face of everything, zeal for Divine glory, accessible to all. It is no wonder that a man with such virtues should be ordained as a bishop. Holy Anthimus was Bishop of Nicomedia at the time of merciless persecutions of the Christians during the reigns of the cruel Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Particularly in Nicomedia the Christian blood that was shed could fill rivers. One year, on the day of the Nativity of Christ twenty thousands Christian martyrs were burned in a temple (see December 28). This event took place at the time when Anthimus was a bishop. Yet, the persecutions did not end here, but they went on, great many Christians were cast into prison and kept there to be tortured and murdered. Holy Anthimus withdrew in a village called Oman, not to escape from death, but to be able to encourage his flock in the struggle to martyrdom, so that no one should fall out because of fear. One of his letters to the Christians was caught in the prison and submitted to the Emperor Maximian. The Emperor sent twenty soldiers to capture and bring Anthimus before him. The white-haired discerning old man welcomed the soldiers, invited them in his house and treated them with food and drink, and then he told them he was the Anthimus they were looking for. Amazed by his kindness the soldiers suggested him to hide, and they would tell the Emperor they could not find him. But Anthimus told them he could not allow himself to break the Lord's Commandments with a lie and save his life, and so went with them. On the way, the soldiers believed in Christ and this bishop baptized them. Brought before the Emperor, Anthimus suffered long and cruel tortures, and at the end he was beheaded. He glorified God and fell asleep in Him at the beginning of the fourth century.
