St. Cyril, martyr
Name: St. Cyril, martyr
Date: 29 May
Saint Cyril, while still a boy at Caesarea in Cappadocia, suffered during the persecutionsof the third century. He had been secretly instructed in Christianity and would repeat thename of Christ at all times, confessing that the mere utterance of this Name wasbeneficial. For this, his pagan father, plunged in the superstitions of paganism, made himsuffer all kinds of bad treatment. But he bore all with joy, increasing in the strength ofChrist who dwelt within him, and drawing many children of his own age to the imitationof his angelic life. When his father in fury put him out of the house, he said he wouldreceive a great recompense in exchange. The city’s governor, when informed of what had occurred, asked that the young Cyril bebrought to him. When he heard him confess the name of Jesus Christ, he was filled withwrath, but dissimulated it and tried to gain the youth by fine promises. He assured himhe would pardon his fault, reconcile him with his father and guarantee his futureinheritance. The boy replied that he would be poor on earth, in order to possess eternalriches in another world, and said he did not fear death. He was taken away as though tobe tortured, but the governor told the executioners merely to frighten him. He was taken to a blazing fire as if for execution, and then brought back and interrogatedagain; but he only protested against the cruel delay. He manifested the same heavenlydesires to the end. Led out to die, he asked the executioners to make haste, gazedunmoved at the flames, this time truly kindled for him, and in which he expired, aftersaying to onlookers that they should be joyful, and that they were weeping only becausethey did not know his hope or the kingdom which he was about to enter. |
