Holy 45 Martyrs at Nicopolis in Armenia: Leontius, Mauricius, Daniel, Anthony, Alexander, Meneus, Janicita, Sisinius, Biriladus, and others

In the reign of the eastern emperor Licinius, Christians in Nicopolis in Lesser Armenia were ordered to sacrifice to the gods. According to the Passion, some forty-five of them, led by Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Anthony and Alexander, came forward together and declared themselves Christians to the governor Lysias. They were beaten, scraped with iron hooks and imprisoned; two of the jailers, Menas and Viriladus, joined them.

The governor condemned them to have their hands and feet cut off, to be burned, and their bones cast into the river Lycus. The account tells that one of them, Sisinnius, prayed for water and a spring opened in the rock beside him. They died c. 319. The account adds that their bones were found again in the river and, after Licinius’s fall, a church was built in their name.