Alexander of Nicopolis

Saint Alexander of Nicopolis was one of the forty-⁠five martyrs of Nicopolis in Armenia, put to death in the time of the emperor Licinius, about the year 318. They are commemorated on 23 July.

The forty-⁠five suffered in the Armenian city of Nicopolis, in the reign of Licinius (307 to 324), co-⁠emperor with Constantine the Great. Licinius cruelly persecuted the Christians and issued in his eastern part an edict that all who would not agree to return to paganism be tortured and put to death. When the persecutions began at Nicopolis, more than forty disciples of Christ resolved to present themselves of their own will to the persecutors, to confess openly their faith in the Son of God and to accept the torments. The confessors were led by Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Antony and Alexander, known for their virtuous life. The governor of the Armenian province, Lysias, before whom they stood, was amazed at the unity and courage of men who condemned themselves willingly to tortures and death; he tried to persuade them to deny Christ and sacrifice to the gods, but the saints were unshaken and rejected all his arguments, showing the falsehood of faith in the pagan gods, full of vices, who lead to perdition those who worship them. The governor ordered them struck in the face with stones, then chained and thrown into prison.

In prison the saints rejoiced and sang the psalms of David. Saint Leontius encouraged and strengthened his brethren in the faith, preparing them for new torments, telling them of the courage of all who had suffered for Christ before. In the morning, after a second refusal to offer idol sacrifice, the saints were given again to torture. Saint Leontius, seeing the sufferings of the martyrs and fearing that some in weakness might lose heart and faith, prayed God to send all a speedy end to their struggle. At midnight, as the martyrs sang psalms, the angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to them and the prison was filled with light. The angel announced to them that their struggle was nearing its end and that their names were already written in heaven. Two jailers, Menaeus and Viriladius, who saw what happened, believed in Christ. The next morning the governor resolved to put the witnesses of Christ to death. After cruel tortures they were burned, and the bones thrown into the river (about 318). Pious people found them, gathered them and kept them. Later, when the Church had been given freedom, a church dedicated to the forty-⁠five martyrs was built on that place.