By Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria
The Church celebrates today, Tuesday, July 9, the memory of the Hieromartyrs Pancratius, Bishop of Taormina in Sicily, and Methodius, Bishop of Lampi in Crete. It also celebrates the memory of Martyrs Andreas and Probus.
St. Pancratius was from Antioch, Syria. He was introduced to Christianity by Peter the Apostle, who made him Bishop of Taormina.
Then Saint Pancratius travelled to Sicily, where, with his deep orthodox faith and love for God and the people, he destroyed all the pagan temples and toiled zealously for the Christian enlightenment of the people. He even baptized the ruler of the region, Bonifacio.
Today, we also commemorate Archbishop Kyprianos and the archpriests, priests and laypersons, who martyred by being hung or slaughtered on July 9, 1821.
The martyrdom illuminates the history of Greece, and especially the eagerness of the Bishops to sacrifice themselves, if necessary, for the high ideals they espouse.
The strength and sacrifice of those who martyred for their faith and homeland reminds all of us once again that “Mettle and virtue is what freedom wants.”
SOURCE: Church of Cyprus
