About the Holy Martyr Deacon Cyril
Commemorated on March 29
About the Holy
Martyr Deacon Cyril, Blessed Theodorit relates, that during the reign of
Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great he destroyed many idols in the city
of Iliopolis. For this he was killed under Julian the Apostate. Pagans cut up
his body and, like wild beasts, they bit at it, for which the Lord punished the
torturers with blindness, boils and other terrible ills.
During this time in
the Palestinian cities of Ascalon and Gaza the pagans tormented to death many
Christians – priests, and likewise women and children that had dedicated
themselves to God. The torturers cut up their bodies, covered them with barley
and threw them for lacerating to the swine. For their terrible torments the
holy martyrs received crowns of victory in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the
torturers rightful recompense – eternal torment in hell.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.