Heliophotoi of Paphos

The Heliophotoi of Paphos, five monastic strugglers, are known as Heliophotos, Ammonios, Epaphroditos, Choulelaios and Eusthenios, Heliophotos being their leader. Other sources give the names Heliophotos, Ammonios, Auxouthenios, Eutychios, Euphemianos and Choulelaios.

According to historical tradition they were among the three hundred Alamanni who came to Cyprus after the Second Crusade. Their ship was wrecked in the waters of Paphos in a violent storm, and the Alamanni scattered over the island and continued their ascetic life in the places they chose. After much wandering the five climbed Mount Koroni, near the village of Kato Moni, and made their hermitage in two caves on the summit. Heliophotos was a priest and the spiritual father of the other four, from whom they all took the name Heliophotoi, and Epaphroditos became a shepherd.

By the grace of God their sheep and goats multiplied so much that they numbered hundreds; at Kato Moni there still survive the "sheepfolds of the Heliophotoi", with stone milk troughs cut into the rock, over an area of about twelve stremmata. Far more numerous, however, were Christ's rational sheep, who came from the surrounding places to hear the saints' words, receive their blessing and attend the divine service in the church they had built.

At that time Cyprus was governed by a harsh and unbelieving ruler named Sabinus. Learning of the saints' work, he grew angry, summoned them and demanded that they deny Christ. They refused firmly, and terrible torments followed: merciless scourging, prison, tearing of the flesh and finally death by beheading. The faithful, with grief and tears, gathered their holy bodies by night and buried them in the two caves where the saints used to pray, three in one and two in the other. The relics were found after some years, thanks to the miracles that took place, and still take place, at the burial site.

Parts of the holy relics are kept at the Dionysiou Monastery on Athos and the Kykkos Monastery in Cyprus. They are commemorated on 13 July, according to the calendar of the Church of Greece (new style).