Kyriaina and Juliana in Cilicia

The Holy Martyrs Kyriaina and Juliana in Cilicia, Kyriaina of Tarsus and Juliana of Rhosos, lived in the time of the emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311) and gave themselves to works of charity and Christian love.

They looked after orphans, comforted poor widows and treated the sick without charge. They knew a little reading and writing, but had great zeal and always found a way to support the faith of those tried by poverty, injustice or other troubles. Many times they brought pagans to the light of Christ by their patience and goodness. They were arrested by Marcian, governor of Cilicia, who tried to make them deny Christ, but they refused. Marcian had Kyriaina's hair and eyebrows shaved and made her walk naked through the streets of Tarsus. Then both were taken to Rhosos and burned alive. They bore this terrible death with steadfastness and self-⁠denial and received from Christ the incorruptible crown of martyrdom. The Greek Synaxarion dates their time to around 298.

They are commemorated on 1 November, according to the new calendar.