Cyrus and John
Cyrus and Johannes ( Italian Ciro e Giovanni ; Arabic اباكير ويوحنا; Serbian Кир и Јован ) have been venerated as saints and martyrs by the churches since early Christian times . They lived at the time of the last great persecution of Christians in the area of Alexandria in North Africa, at the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th century. The year of her death is given as 311. In English, they are also "Cyrus the poor" and called "John the arms" in Italian means Cyrus San Ciro d'Alessandria , in French Cyr of Alexandria , where he did not I. Cyrus, one Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria from the 7th century, to be confused. The day of remembrance of the two saints is January 31st across all churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic) . Copts and Orthodox also know the holiday transfer of the bones (in the year 412) on June 28th.
Cyrus, doctor in Egypt
It is reported about Cyrus of Alexandria that he learned and practiced the healing art in his hometown. His treatment not only dealt with the individual signs of illness, but also cared about the person of the patient as a whole. At the same time he was a professed Christian. The reason he had to leave Alexandria was because of persecution initiated by the then Prefect of Egypt ; sometimes it is portrayed as persecution of Christians, sometimes it is said to have been directed against unpopular doctors and charlatans alike.
The legionnaire Johannes
Comparatively little is known about the (legionnaire) Johannes, he is said to come from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia (today Urfa , Turkey) and possibly had a higher rank.
The martyrs Cyrus and John
During the period of persecution, Cyrus and John had to seek exile in the province of Arabia Petraea and became hermits. When - a few years later - they heard of the fate of the afflicted Athanasia and her three daughters Theoktista, Theodota and Eudoxia (eleven to fifteen years old), who had been captured for their Christianity, they returned to Egypt to assist them. Cyrus and John were captured, tortured and finally beheaded. On the following day the four women who had to watch the torments of the two men were killed.
Adoration of saints
The testimony of Cyrus and John comes from Cyril of Alexandria . In 412 he found the relics in St. Mark's Church in Canopus , brought them to Menouthis and had a church built for them; there they were supposed to replace pagan cults. From the 6th century onwards, the worship of the two as miracle healers quickly spread; Sophronius of Jerusalem strongly supported this with his collection of their miracles.
Cyrus belongs - like Cosmas and Damian and like Pantaleon - to a group of saints who are called "holy money despisers", Greek: Agioi Anárgyroi (Άγιοι Ανάργυροι), because they did not allow their (poor) patients to pay for their medical services . Cyrus was therefore nicknamed Anárgyros .
In Rome, several churches are consecrated to the martyr San Ciro d'Alessandria , but these are called S. Passera ( Chiesa di Santa Passera ) because, based on the name “Abbas Cyrus”, an unwanted renaming (or corruption ) resulted over time.
Web links and sources
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints: Cyrus the poor
- ↑ Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints: John the Poor
- ↑ Singular anárgyros (ανάργυρος), literally: "moneyless", derived from the Greek árgyros (άργυρος) = silver, money.