Theodotus of Cyrenia

Holy Hieromartyr Theodotus of Kyrenia was bishop of Kyrenia in Cyprus at the beginning of the fourth century. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 2 March (15 March by the new calendar, in the Serbian Church). The sources do not agree on the date of his death: they give it about 315, in 320 and, according to the Serbian source, in 302.

For his wisdom and virtue he was chosen bishop and governed the Church with love and zeal. According to the Ukrainian source, during his stay in Cyprus he turned many pagans to faith in Christ. But when the persecution of Christians began in the time of the emperor Licinius, he was brought to trial and subjected to torments. According to the Ukrainian source, when he learned that the bishop had been ordered imprisoned, he came himself to witness to his faith in Christ. While the tormentor Savinus was advising him to renounce Christ and bow to pagan idols, Theodotus answered that if he knew the goodness of his God, in whom he hoped that he would count him worthy, for these brief torments, of eternal life, he too would wish to suffer for him as he did.

They struck him with clubs, tore his body to the bones with iron hooks and drove nails into his body, and he prayed to God with thanksgiving, did not groan, but endured everything. Thinking that the end was near, he counselled and taught the Christians who were around him. Many of the pagans who saw the martyr's patience turned to Christ. Then he was cast into prison. Yet at that time the emperor Constantine granted freedom to the Christians and ordered all who were under trial for Christ to be released. Then this saint too was freed, returned, worn out as he was, to his see at Kyrenia and lived two more years.