THE VENERABLE MARTYR

July 5

From the Prologue

Cyprian was born in the village of Klitzos in Epirus. Following the death of his good parents, Cyprian went to the Holy Mt. Athos, was tonsured a monk and devoted himself completely to a life of asceticism in a cell near the monastery of Kutloumousiou. He imposed upon himself labor upon labor and mortification upon mortification until he became renown and respected throughout the entire Holy Mountain. Cyprian was still not satisfied with himself. He was tormented by the thought that he could not be saved except through martyrdom for Christ. Therefore, he left the Holy Mountain and arrived in Thessalonica and came before the Pasha of Thessalonica and called upon him to reject the false faith of Muhammad and to accept the true faith of Christ. The Pasha ordered him scourged and driven out. Unsatisfied with such a small suffering for Christ, Cyprian traveled to Constantinople and wrote a letter to the Grand Vezir in which he outlined the falseness of Muhammad and the truthfulness of the Lord Christ. Enraged, the Vezir sent him to Skeik Ul Islamu and he, after having heard all that Cyprian had to say, ordered him beheaded. Cyprian was joyful beyond measure and went to the scaffold as to a wedding feast. Thus, this godly man suffered for Christ on July 5, 1679, and realized his burning desire.