The Church commemorates one of the great Fathers and Teachers of the Church of the 6th century, Saint Maximus the Confessor, on the occasion of the translation of his holy relics, and Saint Irene the Empress, later Nun Xeni.
We also celebrate the Apodosis (leave-taking) of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior Christ.
Saint Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople in AD 580 to wealthy and noble parents. He had a brilliant theological, philological and philosophical education.
For his spiritual and administrative talents, he was hired as chief secretary of Emperor Heraclius. However, he quickly resigned in order to defend the theological truths of the Orthodox faith from the sect of Monothelitism.
He was tonsured a monk and began a fierce theological struggle against heretics. In the course of the struggle, he encountered many obstacles, mainly from Emperor Constantius, who was an advocate of Monothelitism and went so far as to convene a false synod, which condemned and excommunicated the saint and finally handed him over to the city governor to be punished.
Saint Maximus was flogged and his tongue and right hand were mutilated. His mutilated body miraculously endured three years in the service of the Church and was the most eloquent testimony of his faith and devotion to God.
After a few days of illness, he reposed in the Lord in the place of his exile (Lazica of Pontus, in the fortress of Schemarum) in AD 662. His holy relic was buried in the Monastery of Saint Arsenios, and today we celebrate the translation of the relics.
Source: Church of Cyprus