Sozomen,who was a lawyer and church historian, is the only historian who mentions Nicarete. Originally from a large Nicomedia family, she had come to Constantinople during the government of St. John Chrysostom (398-404) whose esteem and affection she earned; but to her offices that he wanted to entrust to her (deaconess, superior of a group of virgins of the Church) she preferred a retired and humble life. When John Chrysostom was first expelled, she was deprived of most of her possessions; however, she used the little of her that she had left for works of charity, especially towards the sick.
When the persecution against the partisans of John Chrysostom broke out in 404, she Nicarete left Constantinople.
The date and place of her death is unknown.
Neither in the East nor in the West was this saint mentioned in the calendars; C. Baronio was the first to introduce it on the arbitrary date of 27 December. in the Roman Martyrology.
Author: Joseph-Marie Sauget
