Theoctistus of Nicomedia

Holy Martyr Theoctistus of Nicomedia was a soldier and received the crown of martyrdom in Nicomedia in the year 304, together with the holy hieromartyr Cyprian and the holy martyr Justina.

In the third century, in the time of the emperor Decius, there lived in Antioch a pagan sage, a famous sorcerer named Cyprian. By sacrifices he had placated the prince of darkness himself, had given himself to him entirely, and the latter had put at his service a regiment of demons and promised to make him a prince after his departure from the body. Many came to him in their needs, and he helped them with demonic power. Once a young man, Aglaides, the son of rich and noble parents, came to him. Having seen the maiden Justina, he was struck by her beauty and from then on sought her favour, but she answered that her bridegroom was Christ, whom she served and for whom she kept her purity.

Armed with secret knowledge and calling the unclean spirits to his aid, Cyprian sent them three times to tempt Justina. They put evil thoughts in her mind, kindled bodily passion in her and tempted her with flattering and crafty words, but Justina overcame them by fasting, prayer and the sign of the cross, and the demons, shamed and terrified by the cross of the Lord, fled. Then Cyprian grew angry and took revenge on Justina. He sent plague and sores on her house and on the whole city, as the devil once did to righteous Job. She prayed earnestly and the demonic assault ceased. After this change people began to glorify Christ, and Cyprian, enlightened, renounced the works of the devil, confessed everything to the bishop of the place, Anthimus, gave him all his books to burn and begged him to baptize him.

He changed his life completely: seven days after baptism he was made a reader, after twenty days a subdeacon, after thirty a deacon, and after a year he was ordained a priest. Soon he was made a bishop and in that rank led so holy a life that he was likened to many of the great saints.

In the persecution under the emperor Diocletian, Cyprian and Justina were slandered and thrown into prison, then the saint was hung up and scraped on his body, and Justina was struck on the mouth and eyes. After that they were thrown into a cauldron, but the boiling cauldron did them no harm. At last they were condemned to be beheaded with the sword.

Seeing the innocent death of the martyrs, the soldier Theoctistus declared himself a Christian and was put to death with them. The relics of the saints are in Cyprus, in the village of Meniko, twenty kilometres from Nicosia, in a church dedicated to them. In the thirteenth century, from the year 1268, after the fall of Antioch, the relics were brought to Cyprus and hidden in a small chapel. The saints are commemorated on 15 October.