Holy Martyr Nestor of Thessalonica (+c. 306)

The holy Martyr Nestor of Thessalonica suffered in 306 in the city of Thessalonica. With the blessing of Saint Demetrius of Thessalonica, the young Nestor fought and defeated Lyaeus, the huge and ferocious favourite gladiator of the Emperor Maximian Galerius (305–311), who was killing Christians mercilessly in the gladiatorial arena (see the reading for 26 October, the Life of the Great Martyr Demetrius). By Galerius’s order the holy martyr was run through on the spot.