Among the finds collected in the city of Tver on the eroded banks of the river. Volga, Tvertsa, Tmaki, a significant group consists of crosses with the image of St. torment of Nikita the Besogon.

Similar finds are known in Staritsa and its surroundings, as well as in Rzhev, Torzhok and Bely Gorodok.

In Orthodox church history there are several saints who had the name Nikita: Nikita the Besogon and Nikita the Martyr (Nikita the Gothic) - the first Christians who were subjected to torture and death for Christ in Constantinople, as well as Nikita the Stylite (who lived in the 18th century in Russia in top of the pillar).

Before the split of the church in 1666, the most famous and revered of them was Nikita the Besogon. Antique crosses and various works of small plastic art bearing the image of St. Nikita are found in large quantities. How to recognize Nikita the Besogon? He is depicted with a stick or shackles clutched in his hand, “beating a demon.”

This plot illustrates one of the episodes of the Byzantine apocryphal life of Saint Nikita, the son of a certain king Maximian (Istrin V.M., 1899). Having become a Christian, Nikita aroused the extreme displeasure of his pagan father and, after a series of torments, was thrown into prison, where a demon appeared to him, taking on the appearance of an angel. The demon began to persuade Nikita to worship pagan idols and thereby avoid new torment.

Nikita doubted the angelic essence of the guest, prayed to the Lord, after which the Archangel Michael came down from heaven and ordered him to put the false angel to the test. Nikita grabbed the demon, stepped on him and beat him with his iron shackles, forcing him to confess his devilish nature.

When the king again summoned him for questioning, the saint brought the demon with him by the hand and showed his father who was ruling over him. And so that his father would believe in Christ, Nikita resurrected two long-dead spouses.

But nothing had any effect on Maximian. And then the whole city and the queen rebelled against him. On this day, Nikita baptized eighteen thousand four hundred people and soon rested in God.

In his life it is said that he helps in teaching, heals, casts out demons, frees from slavery, helps to repent of sins and free oneself from the temptations of the devil.

Two incantatory prayers are associated with the name of Saint Nikita, in which the attitude of ancient Russian people towards him as the main protector from demons was manifested. One of them is read before going to bed, the other is attributed to N. himself before his death. These prayers revealed the attitude of ancient Russian people towards the martyr N. as the main protector from demons.

It is precisely because of its protective nature that the iconographic composition “Nikita beating the demon” was extremely popular in Rus'. Its earliest incarnations are the relief on the western facade of the Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir (1197) and a double-sided stone icon of the 13th century. with images of Nicholas the Wonderworker and Nikita with a demon, presumably of Novgorod origin (Nikolaeva T.V., 1983, pl. 14, 2, cat. No. 68).

As is currently believed, this plot was most widespread in the 14th-16th centuries, when the composition with Nikita and the demon began to be reproduced in large numbers on stone and copper-cast icons, encolpion crosses, pectoral and body crosses and serpentine amulets. A brief overview of material sources and their interpretation can be found in a number of special works published since the 1890s. (Chetyrkin I.D., 1898; 1900; Dobrykin N.G., 1900) and until now (Tkachenko V.A., Khukharev V.V., 1999, pp. 68-79; Khukharev V.V., 1994 , pp. 210-215).

In metal-plastic works, Saint Nikita Besogon is almost always represented with his hand raised to strike. He beats the demon with shackles, with a stick or club, or with a rope. Nikita is depicted either in a short, belted tunic-shaped garment and a cloak, or in long clothing resembling a cassock, or in military armor. Nikita's appearance also turns out to be different: he can be depicted as a beardless youth or as a mature bearded husband.

The appearance of the demon is also different: most often it has anthropomorphic features, occasionally zoomorphic or even ornithomorphic. Sometimes the composition includes architectural elements symbolizing the dungeon in which Saint Nikita is imprisoned.

Until the 90s of the 14th century. on icons and crosses, the Monk Nikita beat the demon in his guise (with horns, tail, etc.).

But surprisingly, according to the latest archaeological excavations carried out in the Ryazan region, body armor was found, where instead of a whipping demon, a triangle was depicted - a pyramid!

The conclusion suggests itself that the Orthodox at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries. They clearly understood where the evil for the Russian people came from and through cult plastic surgery (pectoral crosses and icons) they tried to protect themselves from this evil.

In Zatverechye (the old craft district of Tver, located on the Tvertsa River) one of the oldest temples in honor of Nikita has been preserved. The well-known Afanasy Nikitin set off on a journey three seas from the Nikitsky Church.

According to legend, a pectoral cross with two images of St. Nikita belonged to Sergius of Radonezh (later kept in the Pavlo-Obnorsky monastery of the Vologda province).

The memory of Nikita Besogon was celebrated on September 15/28, on the same day as the memory of the great martyr Nikita of Goth, a Christian military leader who suffered for his faith from the king of the Goths Athanaric (c. 372), therefore, even in the Middle Ages, the events outlined in the lives both martyrs, began to be perceived as referring to the same person.

After the introduction of state control of the Russian Orthodox Church (through the Synod) under Peter I in 1720, all saints were censored. The apocryphal life of Nikita, the son of Tsar Maximian, was included in the list of Christian literature prohibited for reading, and the name of Nikita Besogon disappeared from the church calendar.

His veneration was transferred to the Great Martyr Nikita of Gotha, and the iconographic plot of the beating of the demon became the property of the Old Believers and was occasionally reproduced by them according to old models until the 19th century. (Tkachenko V.A., Khukharev V.V., 1999, pp. 72-73, fig. 15-19).

** * **

Note:

“The Torment of Nikita” refers to the apocryphal translated lives, or rather, martyrias (“martyrium” - “martyrdom”) of the first Christian martyrs who died for the faith. His memory is celebrated by the church on September 15 (28).

The apocryphal “Life of Nikita” was included in the Prologues (collections of short stories about saints) and the Chetya-Menaion, but less frequently than the canonical Life of Nikita of Gotha.

Mention of the “Torment of Nikita” is found in the index of renounced books starting from the 14th century. (Pogodinsky Nomocanon, GPB, collected by Pogodin, No. 31), it was included in the “Rule 69 of the Council of Laodicea” along with the “Apostolic Circumstances”, “The Torment of St. George”. Slavic-Russian index lists comment on this work: “Nikita’s torment, calling him like the Tsar’s son, it never would have been like that” (Pogodinsky Nomocanon), “Nikita’s torment, that the son of the Tsars Maximian tormented a demon” (GIM, Synod. collection, no. 491, end of the 16th century). In the titles of some lists of the “Torment” itself, the words: “who tormented the demon” turned into “who tormented him.”

Slavic-Russian copies of “The Torment of Nikita” have been known since the end of the 15th century. (Central National Library of the Ukrainian SSR, collection of Muz., IV, No. 208, Menaion 1489, list of the Athos Hilandar monastery, No. 75). The translation of “The Life of Nikita” was carried out according to the publication by A. N. Pypin in “Monuments of Ancient Russian Literature”. Vol. 3. St. Petersburg, 1862, according to a list from the beginning of the 16th century. from the Rumyantsev Triumphant No. 436, RSL, with the use of Greek and Slavic lists published by V. M. Istrin (see V. M. Istrin, The Apocryphal Torment of Nikita. Odessa, 1898).

The story of the early Christian martyr, Saint Nikita, is known to many believers of the Orthodox Church. We especially venerate Saint Nikita in Abkhazia, and ancient stone icons depicting the martyr Nikita Besogon are found in excavations in many cities of Central Russia. Many believers turn to the Great Martyr Nikita in prayer, asking him for protection from conspiracies and witchcraft.

The story of Saint Nikita

One of the first Christians, the Great Martyr Nikita, according to legend, was born into the family of the pagan Tsar Maximian, who was particularly cruel in dealing with the first Christian communities. Nikita more than once turned to his father with a request to convert to Christianity, but he, in a rage, tried to kill his son, and when this failed, he imprisoned him. In prison, a demon appeared to the future great martyr, albeit in the guise of an angel, and began to persuade the young man to renounce his chosen faith. Nikita began to pray to the Lord, and soon the Archangel Michael appeared to him, commanding him to test the devil. The young man grabbed the false guest, and, stepping on his neck, beat him with his own shackles.

The future great martyr spent three years in prison, and when the king called his son to repentance, the young man brought with him a defeated demon, proving to his father that it was the evil forces that controlled his heart. The king was inexorable and ordered his son to be executed, but God did not allow this. To prove the righteousness of the Christian faith and convert his father to Christianity, Nikita resurrected two people, and a little later, according to legend, baptized more than 18,000 people.

How do prayers to the Great Martyr Nikita help?

Many believers, offering a prayer to Saint Nikita for children, turn to him as a protector from demons and from seducing children’s souls. On the icons of the Great Martyr Nikita is depicted with shackles, with which he beats the Devil.

Prayer to Saint Nikita helps against damage, with various family troubles and with some illnesses, such as “relative”. The words of prayer will protect you from black magic, free you from slavery, and help you in your studies. Icons depicting the Saint beating the devil are customary to give to Nikitas on their name day, so that they will never be tempted by the Devil in their lives.

Prayers to Saint Nikita Besogon

First prayer

O great passion-bearer of Christ and wonder-working Great Martyr Nikito! Falling before your holy and miraculous image, while your deeds and miracles and your many compassion for people are glorifying, we pray to you diligently: show us the humble and sinners your holy and powerful intercession, for it is a sin for our sake, not the imams of the freedom of the children of God, for our needs We boldly ask our Lord and our Master, but we offer you a favorable prayer book for him and we cry for your intercession, ask us from the Lord for beneficial gifts for our souls and bodies, right faith, undoubted hope of salvation, unfeigned love for everyone, courage in temptation, their patience in suffering, constancy in prayer, health of soul and body, fruitfulness of the earth, prosperity of the air, contentment of everyday needs, peaceful and pious life on earth, Christian death and a good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ. Also, O passion-bearer of Christ, from the Heavenly King ask our Russian country for peace, health and salvation, and against our enemies victory and victory, prosperity, silence and prosperity. Be a companion and helper against the enemies of the Christ-loving army, and show your holy intercession to all Orthodox people: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, help the needy. Hey, servant of God and long-suffering martyr! Do not forget your holy monastery and all the nuns and worldly people living in it and striving, but hasten to bear the yoke of Christ in humility and patience and graciously deliver them from all troubles and temptations. Bring us all into a quiet haven of salvation and make us worthy to be heirs of the blessed Kingdom of Christ through your holy prayers, so that we glorify and sing the great generosity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the Trinity we glorify and worship God, and your holy intercession forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

O great passion-bearer of Christ Nikito! Hear the prayer of us sinners, and deliver us (names) from all sorrow and adversity, from sudden death and from all evil: at the hour of separation of the soul from the body, passion-bearing, every evil thought and evil demons, so that our souls may be received in peace to the place of light, Christ the Lord our God, for from Him is the cleansing of sins, and He is the salvation of our souls, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Personal petition

O great passion-bearer of Christ and miracle worker, Great Martyr Nikita! Hear us praying to you with tears (names), and beg Christ God to have mercy on us and grant us (the content of the petition), and let us glorify and sing the great generosity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your holy intercession, forever and ever. Amen.

In Orthodox church history there are two most famous saints bearing the name Nikita: Nikita Besogon and. Their names, dates of veneration and glorious deeds in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ are so intertwined that when we buy an icon or icon, we sometimes do not know who is depicted on it, whether it is Nikita about whom we think and pray.

Nikita Besogon and Nikita Gotfsky! - someone will exclaim, - so this is the same person! They will object to him: come on, these are two completely different people. But how is it possible, the first one will say, I have an icon at home, and it says “Holy Martyr Nikita” on it. No, - the second will answer, - it is necessary that it be written “Holy Great Martyr Nikita” and preferably with the nickname - Gotfsky. But excuse me,” the one who started this dialogue will begin to worry, “he casts out demons, and this is depicted on the icon. And he will hear in response: No, brother, he may cast out demons, but this is not depicted on the icons...

Nikita Besogon- son of King Maximian, suffered for his faith in Constantinople. Thrown into prison by his pagan father, the holy ascetic did not abandon Christ. While in captivity, a demon appeared to him, wishing to seduce the young man, but with God’s help he was able to drive out the uninvited guest. This ascetic died in old age, having previously raised the people to revolt against their atheist father.

The search for Maximian, who had such a pious son, led nowhere. Apart from Emperor Maximian Herculius, the author did not find any other rulers with the same name and title. But Herculius is not the character from whom you should start in your search for Nikita. The emperor had two daughters and a son, Maxentius, who was distinguished by great debauchery and cruelty. Consequently, Tsar Maximian, Nikita’s father, is a fictional character or an unknown king of a small Roman province in Asia Minor.

The feat of Nikita Besogon is known to us from the apocrypha - works that were not included in the number of books approved by church councils. Saint Nikita was venerated in the Old Believer Church until the end of the 19th century. Days of veneration before church reform - September 15/28.

Conclusion: Nikita Besogon’s personality is unrealistic, rather fictitious.

Nikita Gotfsky- a commander who lived on the banks of the Danube, was baptized in Tauris (Crimea) by Bishop Theophilus, all his life he fought against the Gothic king Athanaric (church spelling - Athanaric), who was a pagan and a fierce persecutor of the Christian faith. Having been defeated, Athanaric was able to recover and defeat the Christians. Having regained his throne, he initiated great persecution of the faith of Christ. Many were tortured, including the warrior Nikita. After severe torture and demands to renounce the faith, the saint was thrown into the fire, where he rested (372). The soul went to the Lord, but the body did not burn. Subsequently, pious people transferred the body of the holy great martyr to Constantinople.

The acts of Nikita of Goth, Bishop Theophilus and his follower Urfila (Wulfila) are reflected in historical documents. So, in particular, Eusebius of Caesarea reports about Theophilus in the book and Socrates Scholasticus in the book, Urphila is the creator of the Gothic alphabet, and Athanaric is the king of the Visigoths, reigning in 363-381.

Conclusions: the personality of Nikita Gotfsky is quite real and documented. The feat of the martyr. Nikita Gotfsky is depicted in the book “Lives of the Saints” and is venerated in the church on September 15/28.

And here the most important thing begins. In the minds of people there was a merging of images, a confusion of their feats and dates of veneration. It seems like two different people, two different destinies, but their actions are so intertwined that to this day they cause some confusion in the perception of images, in relation to the saints themselves and their iconography.

Even in the Middle Ages, the events described in the lives of both martyrs - Nikita Gotfsky and Nikita Besogon - began to be perceived as relating to the same person. And first of all, this merger was facilitated by the image of both saints, which did not provide a clear division: who is who?

So what's the problem?

Dates of veneration: The memory of Nikita Besogon was celebrated on September 15/28, that is, on the same day as the memory of the Great Martyr Nikita of Goth, a Christian military leader who suffered for his faith from the king of the Goths, Afanarich.

Image: Both have a beard, both are the same age, slightly elongated face shape, dark hair, sometimes light brown.

Text on the icon: When Nikita Besogon is depicted, they write: Holy Martyr Nikita or Holy Martyr Nikita, beating the demon. If there is an image of Nikita of Goth on the icon, then they always write: Holy Great Martyr Nikita, Christ's warrior Nikita or Saint Nikita the warrior.

Inscriptions on the icon: Contracture (lat. tightening) is the most difficult place in iconography. The main thing is to correctly read the abbreviation, usually written in Old Russian, Church Slavonic or Greek. Lack of knowledge sometimes does not give us an idea or even leaves us without understanding who is in front of us and what is written on the icon. On the icons of Nikita Besogon only Old Russian writing is used, but there are also inscriptions in Church Slavonic - lists from Old Believer icons of the 19th century. On the icons of Nikita Gotfsky, the inscriptions can be in Greek, Serbian and Church Slavonic. In contrast to the generally accepted abbreviations (st., svt., vlmch., vmch.), a superscript abbreviation is placed above the contractures - title. Below are examples of contractures of the words “saint” and “martyr”.

Saint. Rus' of the 17th century	Saint. Greece 16th century	Saint. Serbia XIV century	Martyr. Rus' of the 16th century

Place of death and burial: As the son of the king, Nikita Besogon lived in Constantinople. For his faith he was thrown into prison, where he was subjected to torture and temptation. Coming out of prison, he baptized many people and subsequently rested in Constantinople. Nikita of Goth was executed in 372 by burning within the boundaries of the Tomitan bishopric, in Bessarabia. According to the life, the fire did not burn the saint’s body and it was buried in Cilicia by his friend Marian. Later, the relics were transferred to Constantinople, and part of the relics to the Serbian monastery of Vysoki Decani (where they are located to this day).

Scene: In the case of Nikita Besogon, this is always a dungeon, arched vaults, fortress walls, gates and towers on the sides. Nikita Gotfsky is always depicted on a gold or blue background, sometimes on the battlefield.

Cloth: In iconography, Nikita Gotfsky is primarily a warrior, who is always depicted in armor, with a sword or spear. The commander is given a scarlet cloak (sagum) - a symbol of the military leader, commander. Nikita Besogon’s clothes are different: sometimes it’s a short tunic, sometimes a cloak, sometimes a caftan, and sometimes military armor with a red cape over his shoulder.

Weapon: Nikita Gotfsky always has military weapons in his hands: be it a spear, sword, bow or shield. And even if one hand holds a cross, the second always rests on the sword. In the hands of Nikita Besogon we find a whip, a stick, shackles (as a symbol of prison and imprisonment), and the saint always drives out the demon. A sword on a belt and in a sheath, as an attribute of power.

Matches: text on icons, type, armor, sword, scarlet cloak and final resting place.

These voluntary or involuntary coincidences confuse people who do not delve into the essence of iconography and do not know that Nikita Besogon has not been mentioned in Christian literature since the beginning of the 18th century.

Before the start of the church schism (1666), of the two saints, Nikita, the exorcist, was the most famous and revered among the people. The apocryphal “Life of Nikita” was included in the Prologues (collections of short stories about saints) and the Chetya-Menaion, but less often than the canonical Life of Nikita of Gotf.

Under Peter I, after the establishment of the Holy Governing Synod, which became the highest body of church-state administration of the Russian Orthodox Church, all saints were censored. The apocryphal life of Nikita, the son of Tsar Maximian, was included in the list of Christian literature prohibited for reading, and the name of Nikita Besogon disappeared from the church calendar. His veneration was transferred to the Great Martyr Nikita of Goth. The two images seem to have merged into one, and we involuntarily attribute the deeds of one saint to the second saint.

In matters of veneration, one must be very attentive and careful. When visiting the Nikitsky monastery or the temple of the same name, it is better to ask in the name of which saint it is consecrated, most likely in the name of Nikita of Goth, but maybe in the name of Nikita the Stylite or Nikita the Confessor, but not in the name of Nikita Besogon.

Coming to the temple, consecrated in the name of the Great Martyr. Nikita Gotfsky, do not look for icons in which the saint casts out demons - this is not the right image. Look for a patron saint with a weapon in his hands: and it doesn’t matter what it will be - a cross or a sword. Saint Nikita of Goth will always come to your aid, just pray to him with faith and hope, so that he does not leave, hears and helps, especially those who serve in the armed forces and those on the battlefield.

“...Be a companion and helper against the enemies of the Christ-loving army, and show your holy intercession to all Orthodox people: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, help the needy.” ().

Vladimir Shemenev

Prayers to the Holy Great Martyr Nikita.

To you, as the speedy and chosen intercessor of our salvation, God’s chosen commander, who conquered the enemies with the weapon of the cross, Great Martyr Nikito, we wholeheartedly resort to you: do not turn away from our poverty, heed our prayer, and save us and this city from troubles.

Stretch out your hand, giving quick help, guide our minds from harmful distractions, and cleanse, sanctify and strengthen our defiled hearts.

Save us from enemies, visible and invisible, so that we may emerge victorious over passions, creating holiness in the passion of the Lord, and overcome all despondency and begin to rejoice in the Lord; and through your intercessions, in humility and simplicity of heart, we will be vouchsafed until our last breath to gloriously glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and glorify your divinely crowned deeds and miracles forever and ever. Amen.

Oh, great passion-bearer of Christ and wonder-working Great Martyr Nikito! Falling before your holy and miraculous image, while your deeds and miracles and your many sufferings glorify people, we diligently pray to you: show us the humble and sinners your holy and powerful intercession: behold, for our sakes, we are not the imams of the freedom of the children of God, We boldly ask our Lord and Master for our needs, but we offer you a favorable prayer book to Him and we ask for your intercession: ask us from the Lord for beneficial gifts for our souls and bodies: right faith, undoubted hope of salvation, unfeigned love for everyone, courage in temptation , patience in suffering, constancy in prayers, health of soul and body, fruitfulness of the earth, prosperity of the air, contentment of everyday needs, peaceful and pious life on earth, Christian death and a good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ. Also, O passion-bearer of Christ, from the Heavenly King ask all Orthodox Christians for peace, health and salvation, victory and victory against enemies, and prosperity, peace and prosperity for the whole God-protected country. Be a companion and helper to the Christ-loving army against their enemies, and show your holy intercession to all Orthodox people: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, help the needy; Hey, servant of God and long-suffering martyr! Do not forget your holy monastery and all the nuns and worldly people living in it and striving, but hasten to bear the yoke of Christ in humility and patience and graciously deliver them from all troubles and temptations. Bring us all into a quiet haven of salvation and make us worthy to be heirs of the blessed Kingdom of Christ through your holy prayers, so that we glorify and sing the great generosity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the Trinity we glorify and worship God, and your holy intercession forever and ever. Amen.

Oh, great luminary, illuminating the ends of the whole world, more passion-bearing than Christ, Nikita! Today, as we most tenderly approach your icon, bowing down and kissing this, we earnestly pray to you: ask us from Christ our God for forgiveness of sins, correction of life, and all the good things needed for temporary and eternal life. O most honorable and glorious passion-bearer of Christ! Do not despise our prayer and do not leave us running to you, but look mercifully on us and on our earthly vale; remember us who wander and come, and with the power given to you by God, guide us to the Heavenly Fatherland; strengthen our weakness, protect us from falling into sin, kindle in us holy love for the Lord, and grant us zeal for our salvation; plant Divine fear in our hearts, and direct our steps to doing the commandments of Christ. Through your intercession, ask our All-Merciful God for the peace of His Church, for people to be united in the faith, for the destruction of fools and schisms, and for affirmation in good deeds, healing for the sick, consolation for the sad, intercession for the offended, help for the needy. Most of all, through your prayer, make us all to live chastely and righteously and piously in this present world, so that ever the hour of death and the terrible second coming of our Lord and God Jesus Christ are remembered, so that by His grace and love for mankind we observe and save, bitter ordeals from demons, air princes, and we will be delivered from eternal torment, and in the Heavenly Kingdom we will be worthy to worship the Throne of God, gratefully and joyfully glorifying the Most Holy and Divine Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Oh, Great Martyr of Christ, Nikito! You were brave in battle, and a chaser of the enemy, and a defender of the offended, and a representative of all Orthodox Christians. Have mercy on me, a sinner and unworthy, and intercede in troubles, and in sorrows, and in sorrows, and in every evil adversity, and protect me from every evil and offending person: for you have been given such grace from God to pray for us sinners, in troubles and misfortunes the evil sufferers. Deliver us from those who offend and hate us, and always be a strong champion for us against all our visible and invisible enemies.

Oh, our great champion Nikito! Do not forget us who always pray to you and ask you for help and endless mercy, and grant us, sinners and unworthy, the ineffable goodness from God to receive, which is prepared for those who love Him. For to him is due all glory, honor and worship, to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O great passion-bearer of Christ Nikito! Hear the prayer of us sinners, and deliver us (names) from all sorrow and adversity, from sudden death and from all evil: at the hour of separation of the soul from the body, passion-bearing, every evil thought and evil demons, so that our souls may be received in peace to the place of light, Christ the Lord our God, for from Him is the cleansing of sins, and He is the salvation of our souls, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Troparion to the Holy Great Martyr Nikita

The Cross of Christ, like some kind of weapon, we zealously accepted, and you flowed to the fight of enemies, and you suffered for Christ, following the fire of your sacred soul to the Lord, you were vouchsafed to receive the gifts of healing from Him, Great Martyr Nikita, pray to Christ God, that our souls may be saved. .

With your standing, you cut down the power of delights, and we received the crown of victory in your suffering, with the angels rejoicing more gloriously, Nikita's namesake, with them, praying to Christ God incessantly for all of us.

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Icon of the Holy Martyr Nikita Besogon

Cost and terms

Wooden board 28x22 cm, gesso, tempera, gilding.

The memory of the holy martyr Nikita Besogon is celebrated September 15 (August 28 AD) Art.).

Prayer tradition: People turn to the holy martyr Nikita in various family circumstances, in particular, when children are damaged and for healing from a “relative”.

About the Holy Martyr Nikita Besogon

Saint Nikita, beating the demon, is an early Christian martyr who was tortured and accepted death for Christ in Constantinople. The memory of Nikita Besogon, who beat the demon, was celebrated on September 15/28, that is, on the same day as the memory of the Great Martyr Nikita of Goth, a Christian military leader who suffered for his faith from the king of the Goths, Athanaric (c. 372). Therefore, even in the Middle Ages, the events described in the lives of both martyrs - Nikita Gothic and Nikita “besogon”, began to be perceived as relating to the same person.

The biography of the son of Tsar Maximian is also associated with the name of Nikita “Besogon”, but his name disappeared from the church calendar, and the date of his veneration was moved to September 15/28, that is, to the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Nikita of Gotha.

Iconography of the holy martyr Nikita Besogon: The different iconography of the martyr Nikita is most likely connected with the combination of saints from different eras in one person: he is almost always represented with his hand raised to strike, but he beats the demon with a chain, then with a stick or club, then with a rope.

The attire of Saint Nikita is also different: sometimes it is a short tunic and cloak, sometimes it is a long robe-like robe, and sometimes it is military armor. The appearance of the saint is also varied: Nikita is depicted either as a young man - without a beard, or as a mature husband - with a beard. Sometimes the composition includes architectural elements symbolizing the dungeon in which Saint Nikita was imprisoned.

It should be noted that over time, the iconography of the Great Martyr Nikitas underwent significant changes. In the 10th – 11th centuries, he is often depicted as a young martyr with medium-length brown hair and sometimes with a small mustache. On the fresco of the Hosios Loukas monastery in Phokis (1030-1040s), the Great Martyr Nikitas is depicted young and without a beard, he is dressed in a mantle and cloak, holding a cross in his hand - a sign of martyrdom. Later, images of the saint as a young warrior with dark hair and a small beard became widespread; in Erminia (a manual for icon painters) it is said that Nikita was “like Christ in appearance.” In ancient Russian art, one of the earliest images of the Great Martyr Nikita was preserved on a 12th-century frame of the Mother of God Hodegetria from the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, where the saint is represented in a cloak and tunic, with a cross in his right hand. In the iconography of the 15th – 16th centuries, two iconographic types of the saint emerged - as a warrior in full military garb and as a martyr in a tunic and cloak. On the tablet icon “St. Procopius, Niketas and Eustathius Placida" of the late 15th century from the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod (now in the collection of the Russian Museum), he is depicted as a martyr. On an icon of the late 16th century from the Ipatiev Monastery, the saint is depicted in military armor. Often the image of a saint is present among selected saints, for example, on the icon “St. Nicholas with Selected Saints” from the late 15th – early 16th centuries from the Vladimir-Suzdal Historical, Cultural and Art Museum-Reserve.

The plot of the icon of St. Nikita casting out a demon sometimes acquired unexpected twists: in archaeological excavations in the Ryazan region, pectorals with the image of St. Nikita were discovered, but he does not beat the demon, but a triangular pyramid. Thus, the name and plot of the icon suggest that the help of the saint is prayerfully turned to in special cases, when the need to get rid of the overwhelm of evil misfortunes becomes urgent.

Veneration of the holy martyr Nikita Besogon in Russia

In Russia, under Peter the Great, state control of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) was introduced through the Synod, and all saints were censored. At the same time, the apocryphal life of Nikita, iconographically predominantly depicted with a stick or shackles clutched in his hand, “beating a demon,” was included in the list of Christian literature prohibited for reading.

Until 1666 - the Old Believer schism, the most famous and revered of the two images of Saint Nikita was Nikita - “besogon”. Until the nineteenth century, the iconographic plot of beating the demon was occasionally reproduced by Old Believers according to old models.

In large quantities, archaeologists find ancient crosses and various works of small plastic art bearing the image of St. Nikita, the plot of which is illustrated by one of the episodes of the Byzantine apocryphal life, according to which, having become a Christian, Nikita aroused the wrath of his pagan father and, after torture, was thrown into prison. There a demon appeared to the martyr - in the form of an angel, who persuaded him to worship pagan idols and promised that by doing so the saint would avoid new tortures.

But the martyr doubted the angelic essence of this “guest,” and through the prayer of Saint Nikita to the Lord, the Archangel Michael descended from heaven, who tested this false angel. Saint Nikita stepped on the demon, beat him with his iron shackles, and the demon was forced to admit his devilish essence, and during interrogation by the king, the martyr “presented” the demon, showing the one who rules over them - the king and the pagans.

The iconography “Nikita beating the demon” was popular in Rus'. one of the earliest incarnations of the plot is a relief of the twelfth century: on the Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir (western facade); Also a rarity is a Novgorod double-sided stone icon of the thirteenth century with the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on one side and with Nikita - “besogon” - on the other.

In Tver, in the old craft district on the banks of the Tvertsa River, there is an ancient temple in honor of the martyr Nikita: from this temple, according to legend, Afanasy Nikitin set off on his journey across the three seas.

As is generally accepted, the plot with Nikita Besogon was most widespread in the 14th-17th centuries, when the composition with Nikita and the demon began to be reproduced in large numbers on stone and copper-cast icons, crosses - encolpions, pectoral and body crosses and amulets - serpentines.

The Suffering of the Holy Martyr Nikitas of Gotha

(Source: Lives of Saints Demetrius of Rostov)

When the honorable and life-giving cross of the Lord, this sign of victory, was raised high above the world, then Saint Nikita, the same name for victory, came under its shadow. On the eve of this day we celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, this invincible victory for the world, and now we honor Saint Nikita, whose name means winner (Translated from Greek, Nikita means Victor). This good warrior of Jesus Christ stood under the cross, as if under a banner, to wage war against the enemies of the Holy Cross, in honor of Him Crucified on it. One fights for the king of the earth, another for his life and vain glory, another for temporary riches, but Saint Nikita fought for his only Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the King of every creation and our glory and never-failing wealth. And where and how this warrior labored for Christ - the following is told about this.

When, during the reign of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Constantine the Great, the holy faith began to spread throughout the entire universe, then the Gothic country (the Gothic country extended from the lower Vistula to the Black Sea; mainly the Goths lived in present-day Romania, along the Danube), on the other side of the Istra River (t f. Danube) holy piety shone like a light in the darkness. In that country Saint Nikita was born, baptized and raised. The Gothic Bishop Theophilus (D. about 340), who took part in the first Council of Nicaea, confessed the dogmas of the Orthodox faith and signed the definitions of the council, enlightened Nikita with the light of faith and baptized him in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

After a little time, the ancient envious devil, unable to bear the fact that the holy faith of Christ was spreading and the number of Christians was increasing more and more, raised in this barbaric land, darkened by idolatry, a struggle and strong persecution against those professing the name of Christ and believing in the Lord. The spirit of evil inspired the prince of that country, named Phanarikh, to kill Christians and destroy even the memory of them from his land. At that time, division and internecine warfare occurred among the Goths. They were divided into two parts: one part had a certain Fritigern as its leader, and the other was led by the cruel tormentor Athanaric. When these fellow tribesmen came together to fight and great bloodshed occurred, Athanaric, who had more strength and courage, overpowered and defeated his opponent and put his army to flight. The defeated Fritigern fled to Greece, where he sought help from the Christ-hating king Valens (Emperor Valens reigned from 364 to 378); the emperor ordered the entire army that was in Thrace to go to the aid of Fritigern. After this, Fritigern, with all his remaining warriors and the Greek army gathered in Thrace, set out against his rival. Crossing the Istr (Danube) River, he ordered an image of the holy cross to be made and carries this image in front of his regiments. So he attacked Athanaric. A terrible battle took place, but the Christians, with the help of the cross, defeated Athanaric and defeated his entire army: they killed some, captured others, so that he himself and his small retinue barely managed to escape. From that time on, the Christian Orthodox faith began to spread more and more among the Goths, for many, seeing the irresistible power of the cross manifested in the battle, believed in the Lord Crucified on the cross.

When Bishop Theophilus died, Urfil (Urfil or Ulfilla - the first Gothic bishop and a zealous preacher of Christianity among the Goths; lived from 311 to 383), a prudent and pious man, took over his see. He invented writing for the Goths and translated many books from Greek into Gothic, so that the holy Christian faith spread among the Goths more and more every day. Saint Nikita, one of the noblest and most glorious persons of that land, also contributed with his zeal to the establishment of faith in Christ there. With his piety and divinely inspired words, he led many to Christ.

After some time, the wicked Athanaric again returned to his homeland. Having achieved power and strength, he, taught by the demon, raised a terrible persecution against Christians in his area, trying to avenge his humiliation, since he was defeated and disgraced by Christians in battle.

Then Saint Nikita, inflamed by zeal for God, went out to fight both enemies, invisible and visible: he fought against the invisible enemy, converting the infidels to the true faith and preparing the believers for martyrdom; he fought against the visible enemy, denouncing the tormentor Athanaric and reproaching him for his godlessness and inhumanity, for the fact that he betrayed many believers to various torments; Thus Saint Nikita defeated both: he trampled on the devil and overcame the severity of the tormentor. The various torments with which they wanted to force the good sufferer of Christ to renounce Christ were powerless, and the tormentor himself was at a loss why, with all his power, he could not bend to his wickedness one servant of Christ, firm in his confession like a strong and unshakable pillar

What was the lawless one up to then? He planned to destroy with fire the one whom he could not kill with many wounds, torture of the flesh and crushing of the members. But what has the wicked achieved? He burned himself more with his rage than the martyr with flame: Saint Nikita, although he was in the fire, his body was not burned by the fire, but his soul was reborn for a new eternal immortal life. Meanwhile, the tormentor burned without fire from his atheism: he deadened his soul and prepared his body for hell. So Saint Nikita fought for Christ under the sign of the cross and showed himself to be a winner; not only in name, but in reality he was one.

The body of the saint, undamaged by the fire, was left without burial and lay there, being thrown out with dishonor. At that time, there lived only a pious Christian named Marian. This man was from the Cilician country, from the city of Mopsuestia. (The city of Mopsuestia was located on a plain, on the banks of the Pyramus River.) On some business he came to the Gothic land, and stayed here for quite a long time. Marian met Saint Nikita and acquired his friendship and love; He especially loved him when he saw that the holy ascetic stood for the holy faith of Christ even to the point of being ready to shed his blood for it. And so, when the body of the saint lay unburied, Marian thought about how he could take the body of his beloved friend and martyr of Christ and take it to his native country. But he was afraid to carry out his intention, out of fear of the prince, who ordered that no one dare bury the body of the martyr. Then Marian decided to take it secretly at night.

When night fell, Marian was ready to go out on his planned business; but the night was dark and rainy, so it was difficult for him to walk. Marian was greatly saddened by this, for he did not see where to go and where to find the body of the martyr that was being sought. When he greatly grieved over this, the God of all consolations, who once showed the Magi with a star the way to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:2), comforted Marian in his sorrow and showed him a favorable path to finding the saint’s body: He sent some heavenly power in the form of a star, which, shining before Marian, led him where he needed to go. This star preceded Marian and dispersed the darkness of the night; he followed her with joy. Having reached the place where the saint’s body was located, the star stopped above him. Then Marian, wrapping a clean shroud around the body of the martyr, carried him to the house where he lived.

This is how Marian received the treasure he was looking for. Having hidden it for a while in his home with great care, he soon after returned to his fatherland and brought with him the body of the holy martyr (the death of St. Nikita followed on September 15, 372). Arriving in the city of Mopsuestia, Marian buried him with honor in his house.

God sent down a blessing to the house of Marian for the sake of His passion-bearer, Saint Niketas, as He once blessed the house of Pentephry with many riches for the sake of Joseph (Gen. 39:5) and the house of Abeddar for the sake of the Icon of the Covenant (2 Sam. 6:11). The house of Marian began to abound in great wealth: both material and spiritual, for from the tomb of the saint many gifts were given to all those in need and many healings were sent down to the sick. The entire city and surrounding residents gathered at the saint’s tomb, so that Marian’s house could not accommodate all the believers who gathered here; Therefore, everyone decided to build a church in the name of Saint Nikita and place the relics of the martyr there. Taking up this task with zeal, the believers soon erected a temple. At the end of the building, when the temple was decorated with appropriate splendor, the tomb of the holy martyr was opened and, taking the ark, they carried it to the newly created church and here they buried it in the ground. Only one Marian managed to take, to bless his house from the relics of the saint, one finger, which he kept with reverence; no one else could take a single particle from the relics of Saint Nikita.

One day, blessed Auxentius, Bishop of Mopsuestia, having created a church in honor of the holy martyrs Tarakh, Provos and Andronikos (Their memory is celebrated on October 12), sent a message to the city of Anazarva (Anazarv or Anazarva is a city in Cilicia), where the relics of these three saints rested; in his message, he asked the citizens of Anazarwa to give some of the relics of the holy martyrs for the newly built temple. Then the citizens of Anazarva asked Auxentius to give them in return some of the relics of Saint Nikita to bless their city. Wanting to fulfill their request, the bishop ordered the tomb of the holy martyr Nikita to be opened. And so, for no apparent reason, the marble stone that was on the saint’s tomb broke into two halves. One of those present here boldly touched the holy relics with his hand, but immediately his hand dried up, and horror attacked him. At the same time, a strong clap of thunder sounded from the sky and bright lightning flashed; everyone was in fear. Then the bishop realized that God did not bless the crushing of the saint’s relics, and he repented of his intention. Taking the withered hand of the man who had boldly touched the relics of the saint, he again touched the relics with it and began to pray:

- Oh, holy martyr of Christ Nikita! It is more fitting for you to heal than to harm, for you are good and imitate the All-Good Lord, and if you quickly punished this man, then wouldn’t you rather have mercy on him?

As soon as the bishop uttered these words, the withered hand of that man was immediately healed, and everyone was amazed at the miracles of the holy martyr Nikita and glorified God. No longer daring to touch the relics of the saint of God, the bishop (Bishop Auxentius II lived in the middle of the 5th century; participated in 451 at the IV Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon.), having performed reverent singing over them, again honorably closed his tomb, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God in the Trinity, to Whom is due all glory, honor and worship forever. Amen.

Prayer to the Great Martyr Nikita

Oh, great passion-bearer of Christ and wonder-worker, Great Martyr Nikito! Falling before your holy and miraculous image, while your deeds and miracles and your great compassion for people are glorifying, we diligently pray to you: show us the humble and sinners your holy and powerful intercession. Behold, it is a sin for our sake, not the imams of freedom of the children of God, who boldly ask our Lord and Master for our needs: but we offer you, a prayer book favorable to Him, and we cry for your intercession: ask us from the Lord for beneficial gifts for our souls and bodies: faith right, undoubted hope of salvation, unfeigned love for everyone, courage in temptation, patience in suffering, constancy in prayer, health of soul and body, fruitfulness of the earth, prosperity of the air, contentment of everyday needs, peaceful and pious life on earth, Christian life and death. a good answer at the Last Judgment of Christ. And show your holy intercession to all Orthodox people: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, help the needy. To her, servant of God and torment