حدث ذات مرة، خلال معركة عسكرية اشترك نيقون فيها، بعد ان وجد نفسه في خطر شديد. في تلك الساعة بالذات خطر ببال قديسنا ما سبق ان سمعه من أمه التقية عن الحياة الأبدية فهتف صارخا: “بادر أيها الرب يسوع المسيح إلى معونتي!” وإذ تسلّح بعلامة الصليب، سلاحا لا يُقهر، اندفع إلى المعركة بشجاعة وقوة فائقين حتى انه خرج منتصرا ممجَّا. وفي عودته إلى وطنه زار أمه وروى ما جرى له، كما نقل رغبته في اقتبال المعمودية في المشرق حيث ينابيع الإيمان.
Nikon traveled by sea to the East. Arriving at the island of Chios, he secluded himself in a mountain, where he spent a whole week in fasting, vigils, and prayer, preparing for baptism. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, gave him a staff, and told him to go down to the shore. There he found a ship, which took him to the summit of Ganus in Thrace, where he met Theodorus and Thila Theodosius, Bishop of Cyzicus, who had secluded himself in that region as a hermit in a cave. The latter seemed to have known, with God’s help, that Nikon was coming. So he invited him to his seclusion, taught him the fundamentals of the faith, and baptized him in the name of the Holy Trinity. Our saint remained in the place to which Divine Providence had led him, walking in all things in the footsteps of his spiritual father. Three years passed, after which Theodorus ordained him a priest, and it was also said, a bishop. When the hour came for Theodorus to depart, he entrusted him with the leadership of one hundred and ninety disciples who had gathered around him.
Meanwhile, the persecution of Christians by Decius Caesar (251 AD) was raging, and Nicæus and his companions found themselves forced to travel by sea. When they reached Italy, Nicæus was able to visit his dying mother and participate in her burial. He also baptized nine of his countrymen who had abandoned their families and decided to join him.
After this the two hundred monks went to Sicily. They settled on the summit of Taphromina. However, they did not enjoy peace there except for a short time, for the pagan governor of Sicily, named Contianus, learned of their presence, seized them, and brought them before him for trial. The disciples of Nicene, with one voice, refused to renounce Christ and their blessed service. The governor handed them over to be flogged with cow sinews, then cut off their heads and threw their bodies into hot water furnaces.
وجاء دور نيقون فمُدِّد أرضا وبُترت يداه ورجلاه ولدَعَه الجنود بالمشاعل ثم ربطوه إلى ثورين وساروا به إلى حافة واد وألقوه من علو فلم يمت فحطّموا فكّيه بالحجارة وقطعوا لسانه وقطعوا رأسه. أما رفاته ورفات رفاقه فوجدها أسقف مسّينا، ثيودوسيوي، فبنى كنيسة إكراما لهم.
According to one account, after Nikon's death, his body remained in the field to be food for the birds, but a demon-possessed shepherd boy fell upon the body and was immediately healed. He spread the news, and someone came to take the body and bury it.
Our Orthodox Church commemorates him on March 23, 2017 Eastern, April 5, 2017 Western.