Today the Church honors the memory of the eight Martyrs Peter, Dionysus, Paul, Andrew, Benedimus, Paulinus, Heraclius and Christina.
Martyr Peter came from Lampsacus. When ordered by Emperor Decius to perform a sacrifice to the goddess Aphrodite, he refused to betray his faith in Christ. Therefore, he was brutally tortured and received the immortal crown of martyrdom.
Paul and Andrew came from Mesopotamia. They were soldiers and together with Decius they traveled to Athens. In Athens, they arrested two Christians, Dionysios and the brave Christina, and took them to prison. Paul and Andrew sought to humiliate Christina. However, with faith in God’s will, patience and endurance, but also goodness, Christina taught them the faith in the Resurrection and Jesus Christ the Redeemer. As a result of the confession of their faith in Christ, Dionysius, Paul and Andrew were stoned and Christina was beheaded.
Heraclius, Paul and Benedict came from Athens and preached the Holy Gospel to persuade the pagans to turn away from the illusion of the idols. For this reason, they were arrested, tortured and forcibly put into a furnace. Because the grace of God kept them unharmed, they beheaded them.
The saints, who make up the eight-member municipality, as said in their apolytikion, came from different parts of the world, but, through the confession of their faith in God and their martyrdom, they became fellow citizens in the heavenly state.
The courage of the martyrs still needs to inspire people who believe and fight for the development of morality, truth and all human values.
Source: Church of Cyprus