Lucius of Cyprus

Holy Martyr Lucius of Cyprus was born in the city of Cyrene in Libya, in a rich and noble family, and died for Christ in the year 310. He received a good education and became a senator.

Lucius witnessed the miracle of the healing of the Holy Hieromartyr Theodore of Cyrene in prison after cruel tortures. He believed in Christ and went at once to his friend the governor Dignianus, told him what had happened and urged him warmly to renounce the worship of idols. The words of Lucius, that one cannot resist the truth, reached the heart of Dignianus, who repented that he had cruelly persecuted the Christians and confessed his faith in the Saviour. The next day they both went to the prison, to Saint Theodore, and asked him to baptize them.

After a few days Lucius and Dignianus boarded a ship for Cyprus, where Christians were also mercilessly persecuted. Lucius, without Dignianus' knowledge, gave himself up to the persecutors. Brought to trial, he bravely confessed himself a Christian and overturned the pagan altar. Then he was killed with a blow of an axe, and his head was cut off. Later Dignianus and other Christians ransomed the relics from the soldiers and buried them with honour. This took place in the year 310.

He is commemorated on 2 September, according to the Greek calendar. His name is not in today's Menologion of the Russian Church.