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Martyrs of Nicomedia

The 3628 Martyrs in Nicomedia were a group of Christians of Alexandria during the reigns of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian who, following the martyrdom of Archbishop Peter of Alexandria, had come to believe in Christ and were martyred in Nicomedia for not renouncing their belief. They are commemorated on September 2.

These Christians, including wives and children, traveled to Nicomedia from Alexandria, Egypt in the early decades of the fourth century and before Diocletian proclaimed "We are Christians". By doing so they voluntarily presented themselves for martyrdom as they refused to renounce Christ as demanded by Diocletian. Seeing their resolve in the face of his demand, Diocletian ordered that they all be beheaded, after which their bodies were thrown into a fiery pit.

The relics of these martyrs were discovered many years later through various manifestations of grace.

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