The Church today commemorates St. Sophia and her three daughters, Faith (Pistis), Hope (Elpida) and Love (Agape). We also honour Saint Heraklidios, Bishop of Tamasos.
Saint Heraklidios was the son of a pagan priest. He followed the Christian faith, having met the Apostles Barnabas and Mark, as he had accompanied them at the urging of his father. Near these two Apostles, Heraklidios learned of the true faith in Christ and the futility of idolatry.
After his confession of faith and his baptism, he had the opportunity to meet with Apostle Paul, who, together with Barnabas and Mark, ordained him Bishop of Tamasos and entrusted him with the pastoral care of the faithful.
Among the first to be indoctrinated and baptized by Saint Heraklidios were his two parents. In the area of Tamasos, around his hermitage, a Holy Monastery, which today functions as a nunnery, was built. It is a great blessing and a treasure of our Church to have the holy skull of the Saint, which is kept in the homonymous monastery.
It should be noted that the Diocese of Tamasos was rebuilt centuries later, in 2007, under Archbishop Chrysostomos II, as the Holy Metropolis of Tamasos and Orinis.
Source: Church of Cyprus
