Theodotia of Canopus

Holy Martyr Theodotia of Canopus was one of the three daughters of the Holy Martyr Athanasia, with her sisters Theocteste (aged fifteen) and Eudoxia (eleven), and she herself was thirteen. She suffered in the time of Diocletian, together with her mother and the holy unmercenary martyrs Cyrus and John.

The holy unmercenary Cyrus was a famous physician in Alexandria, where he was born and raised. A Christian, he healed his patients without payment, helping not only bodily illnesses but also healing illnesses of the soul, which are often the cause of the bodily ones. Preaching the Gospel, he brought many pagans to Christ. In the persecution of Diocletian (284 to 305) Cyrus withdrew to the desert of Arabia, where he received monastic tonsure and continued to heal people by his prayer, having received from God the gift of healing every disease. In the city of Edessa there lived at that time the soldier John, a pious Christian. When the persecution began, he came to Jerusalem and, hearing there of Saint Cyrus, sought him, going for this to Alexandria and then to Arabia. Finding Cyrus, John attached himself to him with all his soul and became his faithful follower. Learning that in Egypt, in the city of Canopus, the Christian woman Athanasia had been seized with three young daughters, Theocteste, Theodotia and Eudoxia, Cyrus and John hastened to help them, fearing that fear of tortures might make them renounce Christ. They visited them in prison and strengthened their courage for the struggle before them. Learning of it, the governor of the city seized Cyrus and John and, seeing their firmness, subjected them to terrible tortures before the eyes of Athanasia and her daughters. The confessors endured all the tortures as firmly and were beheaded. After them, at the same place, the holy unmercenaries Cyrus and John were put to death, in the year 311.

Their bodies were buried by Christians in the church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark. In the fifth century the relics of Saints Cyrus and John were moved from Canopus to Menouthis, and later, according to some accounts, to Rome and from there to Munich. Theodotia is commemorated on 13 February (new style), together with her mother and sisters. Their story was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.