Friday, 2 October 2026

Hieromartyr Cyprian, Martyrs Justina and Theoctistus; Bl. Andrew, Fool-for-Christ

Friday of the 18th week after Pentecost

173 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Cyprian and Holy Virgin Martyr Justina of Antioch

304

The Hieromartyr Cyprian, the Virgin Martyr Justina, and the Martyr Theoctistus suffered for Christ at Nicomedia in the year 304, under the Emperor Diocletian. Cyprian was a native of Carthage who became a renowned pagan magician and priest, dedicated from childhood to the demons; he was famed for his sorceries, summoning of pestilence and conjuring up of the dead, and led many to ruin. The holy virgin Justina lived in Antioch and, having converted her parents from paganism, dedicated herself to Christ in fasting, prayer and the keeping of virginity. A certain pagan youth, Aglaides, conceived a passion for Justina and hired Cyprian to draw her by sorcery; but each demonic snare was broken by her sign of the Cross and her invocation of the name of Jesus. Recognising the impotence of the demons before Christ, Cyprian repented, burned his magical books before the bishop, was received into the Church, and rose through the ranks of reader, deacon and priest, finally becoming Bishop of Antioch. With Justina, who became abbess of a women's community, he was arrested, tortured and beheaded at Nicomedia. The soldier Theoctistus, moved by their courage, confessed Christ and was beheaded with them.

Holy Blessed Andrew, Fool-for-Christ of Constantinople

Blessed Andrew the Fool-for-Christ was a Slav by birth, brought as a young captive to Constantinople in the tenth century. He was bought by the imperial bodyguard Theognostus, who, seeing his diligence and piety, had him taught to read and freed him for the work of the Church. While praying one night, Andrew received a vision in which the Lord called him to take up the difficult struggle of foolishness for Christ. Casting off respectable dress, he wandered the streets of Constantinople in rags, suffering hunger, cold, beatings and mockery, sleeping among the poor and giving away whatever he received. The Lord rewarded his hidden labour with the gifts of prophecy and discernment of hearts, by which he turned many sinners to repentance. With his disciple Saint Epiphanius he beheld the great vision at the Blachernae church of the Most Holy Theotokos sheltering the people with her veil, an event commemorated as the feast of the Protection on 1 October. Saint Andrew reposed in the city about the year 936.

Holy Martyr Theoctistus of Nicomedia

The Holy Martyr Theoctistus suffered for Christ at Nicomedia in 304, together with the Hieromartyr Cyprian and the Virgin Martyr Justina. He was a soldier present at the trial of Saints Cyprian and Justina, who, beholding their patient endurance under torture and the power of their confession of Christ, was so moved that he openly declared himself a Christian and embraced the saints before the judgement seat of Count Eutolmius. The count, enraged, ordered him to share their punishment. Theoctistus was tortured and then beheaded together with Cyprian and Justina, and the three were carried to Rome by pious Christians, where their relics were laid to rest near the basilica of Saint Peter. The Orthodox Church remembers him each year together with his fellow martyrs on 2 October.

Holy Martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti

740

The brothers David and Constantine were eighth-century princes of the Mkheidze family who ruled the region of Argveti in western Georgia. Devout Christians and able military commanders, they led the defence of their land against the Arab invasion of Marwan ibn Muhammad, called by the Georgians "the Deaf" for his cruelty. After an initial victory at Mount Persati, the brothers were eventually overcome when Marwan returned with an enormous army. Taken captive, they were tortured for ten days and pressed to renounce Christ for Islam, but they remained steadfast and answered every threat with the confession of the Holy Trinity. Their captors led them to a riverbank near the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, beat them mercilessly, hung heavy stones around their necks and drowned them in the year 740. Their relics were miraculously preserved, and in the early twelfth century King Bagrat IV built the Motsameta Monastery (the Monastery of the Martyrs) over their burial place near Kutaisi, where their incorrupt relics are venerated to this day.

Holy Right-believing Princess Anna of Kashin

Saint Anna of Kashin was the daughter of Prince Demetrius Borisovich of Rostov and became the wife of the holy Great Prince Michael Yaroslavich of Tver. Her life was marked by sorrow: her husband was martyred at the Horde in 1318, and her sons Demetrius (1325) and Alexander (1339) and grandson Theodore (1339) likewise perished by Tatar violence. She bore each loss with deep faith, and after the death of her husband withdrew from the world, taking monastic tonsure with the name Euphrosyne in the Tver convent of Saint Sophia. Later she transferred to the Dormition convent in Kashin, where she received the great schema and resumed her baptismal name, Anna. She reposed there on 2 October 1338. Her relics were uncovered incorrupt in 1611 and she was glorified in 1649. Her veneration was suspended in 1677 because the Old Believers exploited certain details of her life, but she was solemnly re-glorified by the Russian Church in 1909, and her feast on 2 October is widely kept.

St Andrew the Fool for Christ

911

St Andrew was bought as a slave by Theognostos,a wealthy citizen of Constantinople, during the reign of the Emperor Leo the Wise. Theognostos recognized Andrew’s unusual ability and taught him to read and write. Despite this, Andrew, obeying a divine revelation, took up the ascesis of folly for Christ, behaving as a madman all day and secretly praying most of the night. His master endeavored to have him cured of his apparent madness, having prayers read over him in church, but to no avail. Finally he discharged Andrew, who thereafter lived in absolute poverty in Constantinople, clothing himself in rags and living on the bread given him by kindly Christians. Anything that he received, beyond that needed for bare survival, he gave to beggars, usually mocking and insulting them at the same time so as not to be thanked or praised for his deeds. Such was the wholeheartedness of his prayers that he was given grace to see angels and demons, to discern the secrets of others, thereby turning them from their sins. It was he who, with his disciple Epiphanius, saw the vision of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God (see October 1). After a life of profound ascetic struggle, he reposed in peace.

St Cassian the Greek, Wonderworker of Uglich

1504

In 1473, Princess Sophia Paleologos came to Russia with a large retinue to marry Prince Ivan III. One of this retinue was a certain nobleman named Constantine, a relative of the last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI Paleologos. Constantine entered into the service of Archbishop Joasaph of Rostov, and in 1489 went with him on his retirement to the Monastery of St Therapont at White Lake. Constantine himself had no plans to become a monk; but on his first night at the monastery St Martinian (January 12) appeared to him, exhorting him to renounce the world immediately. Constantine reported his vision to the Archbishop, who confirmed its authenticity, and Constantine was tonsured a monk with the name Cassian. The new monk entered into the ascetic struggle with fervor: though he had spent his life as a prince, he gladly undertook the lowliest tasks and the most onerous obedience. At the encouragement of his friend St Nilus of Sora (Nil Sorsky, May 7), he took up a hermit’s life by the River Uchma in the Uglich district. In time various disciples gathered around him, and St Cassian, against his own will, became the head of a skete. His teachings to his disciples always emphasized obedience, care for the poor, and prayer for the departed. He reposed in peace.

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Cyprian, Martyrs Justina and Theoctistus

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Ephesians — Ephesians 6.18-24

¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

²¹But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: ²²Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

²³Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 6.17-23

¹⁷And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; ¹⁸And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. ¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

²⁰And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. ²²Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. ²³Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.