Saint Nikita the Gothic Warrior - Christening Gifts collection

The holy martyr Nikita is revered as one of the zealous preachers and soldiers of Christ.
He also saw Christ in the dream holding the cross, and on awakening he found the image of the Mother of God with the Eternal Infant still unbaptized. Devoured by the sign of God, he denied the pagan heresy and, having received Holy Baptism (from Bishop Theophilus, participant of the First Ecumenical Council), together with Bishop Vulfila participated in the spread of Christianity among the tribesmen. During the intertribal conflict, St. Nikita fought against Atanarik, and after the return of the pagan ruler to power, Nikita denounced him in atheism and cruelty, for which he was seized and betrayed to cruel torture. Subjected to cruel torture, St.. Nikita remained unharmed, like the image of Our Lady with the Infant on his body. Seeing this miracle, all the townspeople together with the queen turned against the king and received baptism.

The Great Martyr Nikita died in 372. According to one version of his Christian friend Marian found the body of a martyr at night, not damaged by fire and illuminated by a wonderful light, transferred it and gave it to Cilicia. Subsequently, the body was transferred to Constantinople, and a part of the holy relics of the Great Martyr was transferred to the monastery of High Decani, in Serbia. On the other - after the death of the saint angels of the Lord descended and did not allow the body to lie on the ground, but took it to the holy city. On the pendant from the collection "Holy Warrior", the holy martyr Nikita is depicted standing full-length in military armor, lifting the life-giving cross in his right hand, and laying his left hand on the hilt of a naked sword. St. Nikita is honored as the patron of warriors fighting for faith and the Fatherland.