The Church commemorates Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea, Martyrs Avdios and 270 prisoners in Persia, Newly Revealed Martyrs Raphael (Archimandrite), Nicholas (Deacon), Irene (child) of Lesbos, and those with them whose feast is postponed to April 26, 2022.
St. Eupsychius lived under the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate, who by all means persecuted Christians and tried to restore paganism.
Saint Eupsychius was a fevent advocate of his faith, so he could not stand the corruption of the Orthodox teaching and the worship of inanimate idols.
That is why when Julian built a temple of the goddess Fortuna in Caesarea, Cappadocia, which the pagans ostentatiously worshipped, Eupsychius destroyed the small idol of the goddess, along with some other brave young men.
He was arrested and brought to the city’s governor, whom he vehemently reprimanded while accusing Julian of having no right to make him renounce his Christian faith, for which so much blood had been shed by martyrs and confessors during the years of persecution.
Of course, Saint Eupsychius knew that he would be punished. His fellow Christians were sentenced to torture and exile, while since he was the leader of the operation, he was sentenced to death by beheading.
Thus, thanks to his boldness and steadfastness in Christian faith, he received the incorruptible wreath of martyrdom and the eternal values of the Kingdom of God.
Source: Church of Cyprus
