Day of Remembrance of the martyrs Cyrus and John and with them the martyr Athanasius and her daughters Theodotia, Theoktista and Eudoxia (13/02)

The holy unmercenary Cyrus was a famous physician in the city of Alexandria, where he was born and raised. He was a Christian and treated all patients free of charge, not only providing assistance in bodily illnesses, but also healing mental illnesses that are the causes of bodily illnesses. Preaching the Gospel teaching, the holy physician of many pagans turned to Christ.

During the persecution of Diocletian (284—305), Saint Cyrus retired to the Arabian Desert, where he accepted monasticism, and continued there to treat people with his prayer, receiving from God the gift of healing all diseases.

In the city of Edessa at that time lived the warrior John, a pious Christian. When the persecution began, he came to Jerusalem and there, having heard about Saint Cyrus, he began to look for him, and went to Alexandria for this, then to Arabia. Having found Saint Cyrus, John became attached to him with all his soul and became his faithful follower.

Having learned that in Egypt, in the city of Canope, the Christian Athanasius was captured with three young daughters: Theoktista — 15 years old, Theodotia — 13 years old and Eudoxia — 11 years old, Saints Cyrus and John hastened to come to their aid, fearing that fear of torment did not force them to renounce Christ. They visited them in prison and strengthened them in courage before the upcoming feat.

Having learned about this, the ruler of the city captured Saints Cyrus and John and, convinced of their firm and fearless confession of faith in Christ, betrayed them to terrible torture in front of Athanasius and her daughters. The confessors just as steadfastly endured all the torment and were beheaded. Following them, the unmercenary saints Cyrus and John were executed at the same place.

Christians buried their bodies in the Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark. In the 5th century, the relics of Saints Cyrus and John were transferred from Canopas to Manufin. Later their relics were transferred to Rome, and from there to Munich.

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