Demetrian

Holy Hierarch Demetrianos was born at Tamassos in Cyprus and lived in the first centuries of Christianity, when the worship of idols still prevailed on the island. From his youth he was a believer and gave himself to Christ. When the village priest fell ill, the bishop of Tamassos ordained him a priest.

To the faithful he was a spiritual father and guide, to orphans a protector, to the sick a comforting brother. For this reason, when the bishop died, he was chosen to succeed him. The hymns call him successor of Herakleides on the throne, a wonderworker and a light of Cyprus. The troparion recalls that he once gave light to a blind man.

After his death he was honoured by the people of the Tamassos region, as the ruins of a church dedicated to him at Pera and an old service booklet for his feast show. Women still go to the ruins of the church, light lamps and ask for his help. It is told that a Christian of Pera took stones from the ruins to build his house, and the saint appeared to him sternly twice; after the second disobedience he struck him on the cheek and the man woke up deaf for the rest of his life. On 3 September 2016 a new church was consecrated in honour of the saint at Pera Oreinis, where his relics were transferred. He is commemorated on 27 January (new style).