“O my son, henceforward you are my father”
July 25, 2023
The remarkable and astonishing story of the three-year-old martyr Saint Cyricus and his mother Julitta, for their honorable martyrdom aided by the Archangel Saint Gabriel is one of the celebrated holiday of our Orthodox Church.
Saint Julitta was a Christian widow from an illustrious family. She raised her three-year-old son Cyricus lone. In the reign of Emperor Diocletian, the King persecuted of Christians, including men, women and even young children. They entered obtained eternal crowns from Lord and Jesus Christ. By then, Saint Julitta took her son to the city Tarsus. She was arrested and brought to trial before the ruler Alexander and became a witness to her faith in Christ. She was questioned about the worship of idols. Saint Julitta answered and said to him, “Ask the child whose days are three years to tell us what is right, and whether it is good for us to worship the gods or not.”
The soldiers of the governor went to her house and brought Saint Cyricus her son to the governor; and was questioned just as his mother. God gave the child strength and he spoke, cursed the emperor and his gods. Soon after, Julitta was stretched out and beaten. Whilst her torments, she repeatedly said, “I am a Christian and I will not offer sacrifice to demons.” Her three-year-old son Cyricus cried seeing his mother tortured and seek to go to her. The ruler Alexander tried to sit him on his lap, but he refused and shouted, “Let me go to my mother, I am a Christian.” All whom present was afraid and amazed. The governor was ashamed and tortured the child brutally with every kind of torture not even youths are able to bear. The almighty God then raised them up whole and uninjured. Due to this miracle, many believed on our Lord Jesus Christ and became martyrs.
Saint Cyricus healed many sick folk and performed great miracles. Not later than this, feared came over Saint Julitta and her faith dwindled when she saw a red-hot cauldron that the governor commanded his soldiers to be cast her alongside Saint Cyricus. So, the little boy prayed to God on her behalf, and the Lord lifted up her heart to heaven, and she saw the habitation of the spirit. Then became strong under the torture, and gave thanks to God. It was here that she said to her son, “O my son, henceforward you are my father, and I am your blessed daughter; blessed be the hour wherein I bore you”
Soon the mother and son was thrown to the boiling water but then with a blink of an eye, the Archangel Saint Gabriel came down from the heaven and he chilled the water like the morning frost.
Unable to accept the marvelous work of God and tired of torturing, the governor commanded the soldiers to cut off their heads with the sword, and the mother and son martyrs received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens.
May God’s mercy, the intercession of Archangel Saint Gabriel, the martyrs Saint Cyricus and his mother Julitta be with us, Amen!
Source: Ethiopian Sxynaxarium