Cloud of Witnesses
Back to the saints / Unmercenarys / St Unmercenaries Cyrus and John
Unmercenary · 4th century

Unmercenaries Cyrus and John

Commemorated as

The Holy, Glorious Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cyrus and John

Died c. 304 or 311

Also known as Kyros and John of Alexandria

A physician of Alexandria who healed soul and body without payment, and a soldier who joined him; both were martyred under Diocletian and are invoked for healing of the sick.

Life

Cyrus and John are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as Holy Unmercenaries (Anargyroi), Wonderworkers, and Martyrs of Egypt. Cyrus was a physician of Alexandria who treated the sick without payment, attending to both bodily and spiritual ailments, while John was a soldier who joined him. Both suffered martyrdom during the persecutions associated with the reign of Diocletian.

Cyrus was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, to Christian parents, and became a noted physician. He cared for his patients without charge, and the synaxarion relates that he counseled those he healed to keep God's commandments and avoid sin, since by tradition much illness was understood to come through sin. They are commemorated on January 31, with a further commemoration on June 28, and are invoked for the healing of the sick.

Explore
Hymn / Apolytikion Icon gallery Video / Media

Timeline

  1. c. 304 or 311 Martyrdom Cyrus and John suffered martyrdom during the persecutions associated with the reign of Diocletian, by tradition at Abu Qir in Egypt.

Contributions & Legacy

Life and Ministry

Cyrus was a physician of Alexandria, the city of his birth and upbringing. As a Christian, he treated the sick without charge, curing not only their bodily afflictions but also caring for their spiritual infirmities. The accounts relate that he urged those whom he healed to obey God's commandments and to avoid sin.

By tradition, the citizens of Alexandria built Cyrus a hospital on account of his renown, and after his martyrdom it was converted into a church. John, his companion, was a soldier who joined himself to Cyrus. The two are remembered together as Unmercenaries who gave their healing freely.

Martyrdom

Cyrus and John suffered martyrdom during the persecutions associated with the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. By tradition they are said to have died at Abu Qir in Egypt, with the date given variously as around 304 or 311.

The synaxarion relates that they were martyred together with others who suffered at the same time, and they are commemorated as Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cyrus and John, and those with them.

Veneration

Cyrus and John are venerated as Unmercenary Physicians and Wonderworkers. They are honored in the Eastern Orthodox Church and, more broadly, are also commemorated in the Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.

They are commemorated on January 31, with an additional feast on June 28. The faithful invoke them for the healing of the sick.

Related Saints

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 31