By Bishop Grigorios of Mesaoria
Today, February 5, the Church celebrates the memory of Holy Virgin Martyr Agatha, New Martyr Anthony of Athens, Saint Polyeuctus of Constantinople, Patriarch of Constantinople, and Saint Theodosius of Skopelos.
Saint Agatha came from Palermo, Sicily, and lived during the reign of Emperor Decius. She was distinguished for her beauty, her morals, her virtues and her great and steadfast faith. When the governor Quintianus was informed that she was a Christian and struggled to maintain a steady devotion to Christ the Savior through her life, he forced her to worship the idols. So he turned her over to a disbeliever to persuade her to renounce Jesus.
But not only did the Holy Spirit not renounce her faith in the will of God, but she was more determined to be martyred. She endured all torture with miraculous stoicism, praising God, who deemed her worthy to remain steadfast until the end and receive the crown of martyrdom with her heroic death.
Source: Church of Cyprus
