Saint Nicéforo de Antioquía

Saint Nicephorus was a Christian martyr during the reign of Emperor Valerian. In Antioch, the priest Sapricius and the layman Nicephorus were considered as brothers, but they quarreled to the point of not greeting one another if they met. After some time, Nicephorus came to his senses and, reflecting that enmity is a wicked vice, enlisted friends to ask for forgiveness from Sapricius on his behalf and reconcile them, but Sapricius would not accept the apologies. Nicephorus had others speak to him a second and third time, but always in vain. Finally, he went in person to the house of Sapricius, threw himself at his feet, and said: Father, forgive me for the sake of our Lord. Yet the priest, hard and inflexible, would not forgive him. Meanwhile, the persecution arrived, and Sapricius was imprisoned. He courageously confessed that Christ is the only true God, Creator of heaven and earth. He was cruelly tormented on a rack; he remained steadfast and was condemned to death. Knowing that he was being led to execution, Nicephorus ran to meet him, threw himself at his feet, and said: Martyr of Jesus Christ, forgive me if I have offended you. Sapricius did not answer him. Nicephorus insisted more effectively on another street and a third time at the place of execution, but he could not overcome the hardness of Sapricius. When the executioner told him to kneel to be beheaded, Sapricius’s strength failed him, and he said that he would obey the emperor and offer sacrifice to the gods. Upon hearing this, Nicephorus said to him: Do not, brother, do not deny our Lord Jesus Christ, do not lose the crown you have won with so many labors and torments. Seeing that Sapricius would not listen to him, he turned to the executioners and said: I am a Christian, and I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, whom this man has renounced. Put me to death instead.