Cyriacus of Attalia

Holy Martyr Cyriacus of Attalia (Pamphylia) was one of four martyrs, Hesperus, Zoe, Cyriacus and Theodulus, parents and sons, who suffered for the faith of Christ in the second century, in the persecution of Hadrian (117-138).

Hesperus and his wife Zoe had accepted Christianity in childhood and raised their children in a deep faith. All four were slaves of a noble Roman, Catullus, who lived in Attalia, the city in Asia Minor. In serving their earthly master, the saints never defiled themselves with food offered to idols, which pagans were obliged to eat. Once Catullus sent Hesperus on business to Tritonia. Then Cyriacus and Theodulus decided to flee, unwilling to stay in constant company with pagans. Zoe, however, did not give her blessing to this. The young men then asked their mother's blessing for an open confession of their faith in Christ and received it.

When the brothers told Catullus that they were Christians, he was astonished, but did not give them over to torture; he sent them, with their mother, to Hesperus in Tritonia, hoping that their parents would persuade the sons to renounce the faith of Christ. The saints lived in Tritonia for a time in quiet, preparing for the martyr's struggle that awaited them. For the birthday of Catullus's son all the slaves were brought back to Attalia, and a feast in honour of the goddess Fortuna was held in the house. Dishes from the masters' table were sent to the slaves, among them meat and wine offered to idols. The saints did not touch them: Zoe poured the wine on the ground and threw the meat to the dogs. Learning of this, Catullus ordered Zoe's sons, Cyriacus and Theodulus, to be tortured.

The brothers were stripped and hung from a tree, then torn with iron instruments before the eyes of their parents, who during the torments urged them to endure to the end for the faith. Then the parents themselves, Hesperus and Zoe, were put to cruel torments. At last all four martyrs were thrown into a furnace heated red-⁠hot, where they gave their souls to the Lord in prayer. Their bodies were preserved unharmed in the fire, and angelic singing was heard, glorifying the struggle of the Lord's confessors.

Saint Cyriacus is commemorated on 15 May, in the new style. Their passion is also found in the Lives of the Saints by Saint Dimitry of Rostov.