The Holy Martyrs Cyricus (Quiricus)
and his mother Julitta, of Tarsus
(304) Their service is sung on July 14th.
St. Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed at an early age and left with her newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, in the town of Lycaonia, and was completely devoted to the Faith of Christ. She baptized her son immediately after his birth, and when he was three years old, she instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray as much as a child of that age is able. When Diocletian decreed the per- secution of the Christians in the town of Iconium, much innocent blood was shed. Julitta took her son and hid in the city of Seleucia from the wrath of the heathens. But it was not any better there. Julitta was
arrested and brought before the judge as a Christian. Since Julitta courageously confessed her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, in order to dis- hearten her and cause her to waver, took the child in his arms and began to caress him. But Cyricus cried out, “I am a Christian; let me go to my moth- er!” and began to scratch the judge with his fingernails, turning his face away from him. The judge became so enraged that he hurled the child to the ground and kicked him. Cyricus rolled down the stone stairs, and gave up his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Cyricus suffered before her eyes, St. Julitta was joyful, and she gave thanks to God that He had found her son worthy of the wreath of martyrdom. After much suffering at the hands of the torturers, Julitta was beheaded, in the year 304. Even today, the relics of Saints Cyricus and Julitta are miracle working. A portion of their relics is to be found at Ohrid, in the Church of the Holy Theotokos the Healer.
