By Bishop Grigorios of Mesaoria
The Church celebrates today the memory of Saint Dimitrianos, Bishop of Kythrea on Cyprus, Wonderworker, and Saint Paul the Confessor, Archbishop of Constantinople.
Saint Dimitrianos lived during the reign of the Emperor Theophilus who supported iconoclasm. He was born in the village of Syka in Kythrea to devout parents. He was married to a noble and Christian daughter, who soon died.
He then decided to dedicate himself to God and he became a monk. He was tonsured a Monk dedicating his life to the Church. Then he was ordained a Presbyter by the Bishop Efstathios of Kythrea, who succeeded him as Bishop of Kythrea.
Bishop Dimitrianos was there when the barbarians, according to the Synaxarion, captured his flock and transport it to Babylon. The bishop of Kythrea followed his people into exile and captivity, and then, with his supplications and vigilance, God freed his people and returned to Cyprus.
He fell asleep in the Lord in old age passing on a sacred legacy to his descendants.
Saint Paul the Confessor, who was a native of Thessaloniki, was secretary of Patriarch Alexandros of Constantinople, his predecessor in the see. Being an Arian, when the Emperor Constantius was informed about the election of Saint Paul, illegally deposed him, and sent him into exile to Armenia.
While performing the Divine Liturgy, the heretical Arians rushed upon him and strangled him with his omphorion. Thus, he was deemed worthy by the Lord to receive the wreath of martyrdom, remaining steadfast in the Orthodox Faith and enduring all hardships.
SOURCE: Church of Cyprus
