Nestor of Thessalonica

Saint Nestor the Martyr of Thessalonica was a young Christian, a disciple of Saint Demetrius, who defeated a feared pagan fighter in the arena and was for this put to the sword, at the beginning of the fourth century. He is commemorated on 27 October, the day after Saint Demetrius. In icons he is usually shown in a soldier's clothing.

Youth and discipleship

According to tradition, Nestor was a devout young man of the city of Thessalonica in Macedonia. The sources for the life of Saint Demetrius describe him as a strong and handsome youth with a beard just beginning to grow. He was a disciple of Demetrius and came to him in prison to hear his teaching.

The contest and martyrdom

In the time of the persecution under Maximian or Galerius, the emperor came to Thessalonica, and gladiatorial games were held in his honour. In the arena, along with professional fighters, Christians were also sent out: women, old men and the city's craftsmen. A pagan gladiator named Lyaeus, also called Lius, a man of giant size and the emperor's favourite, defeated them all, throwing them from the platform onto spears set in the ground. Many of his victims were Christians. According to the Serbian sources, when no one came forward willingly, Christians were dragged by force to fight him.

Nestor could no longer bear the suffering of the Christians and resolved to go out against Lyaeus alone. He first went to Saint Demetrius in his prison cell and asked his blessing. Demetrius signed him with the Cross and told him that he would defeat Lyaeus but would himself suffer for Christ. Strengthened by the power of God, like David before Goliath, the young man entered the arena before the emperor and the crowd, overcame Lyaeus and threw him onto the spears. The people cried out, "Great is the God of Demetrius."

The emperor was enraged and, learning that Nestor was a Christian and a disciple of Demetrius, ordered Nestor to be put to the sword and Demetrius pierced with spears. The martyr was slain at once. The year of his death is given variously by the sources as 290, 296 or 306.

Veneration

Nestor is commemorated on 27 October by the old calendar, which falls on 9 November by the new, in both the Orthodox and the Catholic Church. A church was built to him at Thessalonica, south of the cathedral of Saint Demetrius, between Agios Dimitrios and Olympou streets. After the Ottomans took Thessalonica, the Fethiye mosque was raised on its site.