Saint Cyprian of Antioch, Martyr, and Saint Justina, Virgin and Martyr

Cyprian was a well-known pagan in Antioch in the days of the Emperor Decius, in the middle of the third century.

From a young age he acquired a great deal of worldly learning, and afterwards he turned to the practice of magic. He became so skilled in it that pagans would come to him and ask him to intercede with the demons to perform particular services for them, or to harm certain people, or to push others in one direction or another.

Cyprian plunged deep into this world. He studied every kind of book of magic and visited places famous for their sorcery and sorcerers, learning a great deal from them. All this made him a rich and powerful man, and he caused harm to many people.

Justina was the daughter of the pagan priest Aedesius. One day Justina heard people speaking about the incarnation of Christ from a virgin for the salvation of humanity, and about God’s love for people, so she went secretly to the church to hear more.

She came to Jesus Christ the Lord and learned the true faith. It seems that her father, the pagan priest, also came to love divine wisdom, and together with his wife Cledonia he was drawn to the Christian faith. The three were baptized by Bishop Optatus, and Justina then consecrated her virginity to the heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

As for Cyprian’s connection with Justina, there are two accounts in Church tradition.

The first says that Cyprian met Justina one day, was captivated by her remarkable beauty and fell in love with her, and when he tried to court her, she rejected him.

The second account says that a dissolute young pagan set his eyes on Justina, became infatuated with her and wanted her for himself. When she dashed his hopes, he came to Cyprian for help.

What is certain is that Cyprian tried, with all his knowledge of magic and his dealings with evil spirits, to win Justina over.

He tried every kind of sorcery to win the girl, and failed completely, because Justina was protected by the power of the cross.

Then he wanted to know the God of the Christians, the God whose power surpassed all his demons and all his instruments of magic. He threw himself into learning the Christian faith, and so he too came to Christ.

Cyprian gathered all his books of magic and burned them publicly.

He also gathered his money and gave it to the poor, and his one concern became making amends for his many sins. He repented truly for the harm he had done to people, with burning tears and works of love that surpassed the evil he had done before. He had been a sorcerer who drew people to himself by the power of magic and the work of demons; then a gentle virgin came and captivated him with her beauty, and drew him to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The bishop of the city noticed this and made him a priest. He was later ordained a bishop, and Justina was made a deaconess.

At that time the persecution of Christians grew fierce under the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Cyprian and Justina were arrested and tortured: they were flogged, torn and thrown into boiling pitch.

Finally, according to tradition, the soldiers beheaded them at Nicomedia in the year 304 (their relics were later taken to Rome), and they received the crown of martyrdom.

The Church celebrates them every year on October 2.

Prepared by Rita, of the Sawt el Rab team