Acta Sanctorum

8 Martyrs of Nicaea

12 January · commentary
Latin source: Heiligenlexikon
Eight anonymous martyrs at Nicaea in Bithynia, slain by the sword, known only from the Greek Menaea with an accompanying distich playing on the symbolism of the number eight and the Beatitudes. No further information survives.

ON THE EIGHT HOLY MARTYRS AT NICAEA IN BITHYNIA.

Commentary

Eight Martyrs at Nicaea in Bithynia (Sts.)

On the same day, say the Menaea, eight holy martyrs of Nicaea are slain by the sword. There follows this distich:

"The choir of eight falls by the sword, That they may win the eightfold life forever."

There is an allusion to the number eight, which is considered auspicious, especially because Christ enumerated that many beatitudes in Matthew 5. But of these martyrs we have read nothing elsewhere. Many suffered martyrdom at Nicaea, but not in this number at the same time.