Orthodox Calendar, June 28
Translation of the relics of the Unmercenary Wonderworking Doctor Saints Cyrus and John
On June 28 we commemorate the translation of the relics of the Unmercenary Wonderworkers Saints Cyrus and John from the city of Konopa, near Alexandria (where they suffered in the year 311) to the nearby village of Manuphin, in the year 412.
One century after their martyrdom, Saint Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria (412 – 444), was praying to God to chase away the demons from the pagan temple of Manuphin, a city near Konopa.
An angel of the Lord told the holy patriarch the demons can only be cast away by bringing to Manuphin the relics of Saints Cyr and John. This is exactly what the patriarch did, building a church in honor of the two saints in Manuphin.
From that moment, the unclean spirits were chased away from the city and the two saints’ church became a wonder spring of God’s miracles.
St. Cyrus
Sf. Cyrus was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 3rd century. He studied and became a very good doctor. He was famous for treating his patients without pay or any other material rewards. He was healing them in the name of Christ, saying prayers and quoting from the Holy Scriptures. After he treated them, just like our Savior, he advised them to not sin anymore.
After Emperor Diocletian ordered great persecution against Christians in the Roman Empire, Cyrus went to Arabia, where he became a monk and was granted by God the gift of wonderworking.
Sf. John
Sf. John was a soldier in the city of Edessa, in Asia Minor. Hearing of the wonders made by St Cyrus, he went to Arabia to meet him and became his disciple both in faith and the science of medicine, becoming himself also an unmercenary doctor saint.
When the saints found out that a woman named Athanasia was arrested together with her three daughters Teodota, Teoctista, and Eudoxia, for being Christians, they went to encourage her to remain steadfast in confessing her faith despite torture.
They were also arrested and torture for this and, on January 31, they were beheaded together with Athanasia and her daughters.
Christian faithful took their bodies and buried them with honor in a place which is said to have been found only shortly before St Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, was told to move them to Manuphin.
A more detailed account of their lives can be found under January 31 in the Orthodox Calendar.
Troparion — Tone 5
O Christ God, / You have given us the miracles of Your martyrs, Cyrus and John, / as an invincible rampart; / through their prayers, frustrate the plans of the heathens, / and strengthen the faith of the Orthodox Christians, / for You alone are good and love mankind.
4th Sunday after Pentecost
Gospel ( Matthew 8:5-13):
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
