By Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria
Today the Holy Church commemorates Sts. Reginus and Orestes, who came from Chalcedon and were associated with a deep brotherly friendship. The confession of their Christian faith was the reason they were imprisoned.
After their release, they lived in the Limassol area, where they eventually martyred for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Today we also commemorate St. Lucius, who came from Libya’s Cyrene and was a member of the Senate. Originally an idolater, he was moved by the martyrdom of Christians in the Diocletian era and received the Holy Baptism and the Holy Anointing. He later came to Cyprus, where he was finally beheaded.
We also honour the memory of the prophet Samuel today, who was the last of the Israelite Judges and the one who anointed Saul and then David kings. He came from the Tribe of Levi and his birth was a miracle, since his parents Elkanah and Hannah were childless. He served God and His people for forty years and died really old, in deep anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.
Source: Church of Cyprus