Hieromartyr Cyprian and the Holy Martyrs Justina and Theoctistus (+304)

The Hieromartyr Cyprian and the holy Martyrs Justina and Theoctistus died at Nicomedia in 304.

Saint Cyprian was born in Antioch. His pagan parents dedicated him from early childhood to the service of the false gods. From seven to thirty the blessed one learned the art of magic at the greatest centres of paganism: on Mount Olympus, at Argos, Tauropolis, Memphis and Babylon; and at last, deeply versed in pagan philosophy and sorcery, he was consecrated a priest on Olympus. Cyprian gained such boldness before the evil spirits that they served him openly.

When the magician returned to Antioch, the pagans made him high priest. He amazed everyone by his ability to command the elements, to spread diseases and plagues, and to make various magic potions. The great priest ruined the souls of many people by teaching them sorcery and the service of demons.

In the same city there lived a Christian virgin, Justina. She had made a vow of virginity. Once a young man, Aglaidas, asked the saint to marry him, and she answered with a refusal. The young man did not give up: he turned to Cyprian and begged him to stir up in the girl, by sorcery, an answering feeling. The magician spared no effort, but achieved nothing, for the holy martyr overcame the demon’s wiles by prayer and fasting. The priest sent demons to kindle lustful desires in the virgin, but Justina drove back the attackers with the sign of the cross and fervent prayer. Cyprian himself, his appearance changed by the power of magic, approached the bride of Christ several times to tempt her, but the martyr, fenced about by firm faith, remained unshaken. The enraged Cyprian brought plague upon the holy virgin’s family and the whole city, but here too he was defeated by the blessed one’s prayer. Then Cyprian plainly felt the depth of his fall and the nothingness of those he served. “If you fear even the shadow of the cross and tremble at the very mention of the name of Christ, what will you do when Christ Himself comes out against you?” he asked Satan. At that very moment the demon fell upon the one who had renounced him, beat him and tried to strangle him. But Cyprian made the sign of the cross, called on the Saviour for help, and experienced for the first time in himself the victorious power of the true God. After thirty years’ service of the dark powers of hell, Cyprian, cleansed by repentance, followed Christ: with the blessing of Bishop Anthimus he made a public confession and in the middle of the city burned his books of magic, brought from a distant cave. The blessed one’s repentance was so sincere that on the seventh day after his baptism he was made a reader, on the twentieth day a subdeacon, on the thirtieth day a deacon, and after a year a priest. Soon Cyprian was also consecrated bishop. The hieromartyr converted so many pagans to Christianity that not one idol-worshipper was left in his diocese. When Diocletian began the persecution of the Christians, Bishop Cyprian and the abbess Justina were seized, taken to Nicomedia and beheaded after cruel torture. The soldier Theoctistus, who witnessed the saints’ martyrdom, believed in the Saviour, openly declared himself a Christian and was put to death together with the Lord’s chosen ones.