Description
Saint Kyprianos – also known as Cyprian – the Holy Martyr and Saint Justina the Virgin-martyr of Nicomedea lived during the 4th century AD in modern day Turkey. According to tradition, Kyprianos was a magician, well known for his sorcery. He was sought out by a man who wished to become a suitor of Justina, the man asked Kyprianos to perform magic on her in order for her to fall in love with him.
However, Kyprianos’ spells did not work on Justina, who was pious and diligent in her faith. During Kyprianos’ attempt to charm her into loving the man, Justina prayed and fasted forcing Kyprianos to look inside himself and renounce the evil by which he led his life. Kyprianos made the sign of the cross and was thus freed from the Devil. He was welcomed in the Church, where he eventually served as a deacon, priest, and bishop; meanwhile, Justina served as an abbess in a convent.
They were both seized for their Christian faith during the Diocletian Persecution. In an attempt to have them renounce Christianity, they were tortured in Damascus. However, they never gave in to their torturers, remaining steadfast in their faith and love of the Lord. When it became clear the torture would not work, they were taken to Nicomedia where Diocletian ordered their death by beheading. They are commemorated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on October 2, and by the Roman Catholic Church on September 26.
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