GREAT MARTYR KYRIAKE

The tortures of a magistrate, and emperor, and governors could not dissuade Kyriake from Jesus Christ. She was a sensible young girl, born through the prayers of parents who were childless for a very long time. Her life's goal was to. preserve her virginity and to be a bride of Christ. An idol worshiping magistrate desired Kyriake for his son. When she explained herself, he reported her to Emperor Diocletian. The family was arrested and Dorotheos, her father, answered Diocletian that his deities did not fashion heaven and earth. He was bullwhipped, and yet he sneered at the idols. Having no success, the parents were sent away and later beheaded in Mytilene.
Kyriake was sent to his son-in-law, Maximian, in Nicomedia. He flattered her and promised to have her betrothed to royalty if she would venerate the gods. She replied that no torment could separate her from the love of Jesus Christ. She was bullwhipped, but with Christ's help she did not feel it. Embarrassed, he sent her to Governor Illarios who had the reputation of a wild beast. She was suspended and burned with torches. That night in prison Jesus appeared to her and imparted His grace and healed her. The next day, Illarios marveled, as he believed his gods had healed her. She asked to see his idols at the temple, prayed for an earthquake, and the temple tumbled. Illarios stood in the ruins and blasphemed the God of the Christians. A bolt of lightning hit him in the face killing him. The new governor attempted to burn her, but rains quickly put out the fire. He put her before wild beasts, and they fell at her feet. Before the executioners, she prayed and angels took her soul before they could behead her. The executioners realized that God would have protected her from the sword, if He wished, having done so with the fire and beasts.

Taken from: rile Daily Lives of tile Saints and Fasting Calendar rile Ortllodox Calendar Co.
Tom and Georgia Mitrakos, Allison Park, Pennsylvania