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St. torment. Anikita, Photius and others with them Anicetas was a comite (military dignitary), and during preparations in Nicomedia for the torture of Christians, he openly declared himself a Christian before the emperor Diocletian; His example was followed by his nephew Photius, who directly told the king: “Idolater, your gods are nothing!” For this, after many tortures, they were condemned to death and burned along with many other Christians in 305. St. martyr Alexander, Bishop of Comana In the city of Komanah (Turkish: Komanik), a bishop died, and the citizens invited St. Gregory of Neocessary (November 17) to participate in the election of his successor. The meeting was large and noisy; We spent a long time discussing who to choose. Many wanted to have as a bishop a man of learning, eloquence, and not of low birth. Gregory reminded that one should look at a person’s inner virtues, adding that often the most modest appearance covers great qualities and virtues. Then some, laughing, said: “If you don’t pay attention to external merits, then shouldn’t we choose Alexander the Square?” Gregory asked: “What kind of Alexander is this?” One of those present immediately brought a man in poor, tattered clothes, covered with coal pouring, meekly looking at the meeting. Gregory took him aside and from a short conversation with him learned that he was a pious man, had received a good education, and had chosen his occupation not out of need, but out of humility and to suppress temptations. By order of Gregory, Alexander, washed and dressed, again appeared to the meeting and, in an interview about the objects of faith, amazed everyone with the title of St. Scriptures and wisdom. Everyone unanimously proclaimed that he was worthy to be a bishop. And so, having passed the first ecclesiastical degrees, he accepted the rank of bishop (about the year 244) and worthily ruled the Comanian flock until the persecution of Decius (250), when he suffered at the stake for the cause of Christ.