The Church honors the memory of Hieromartyr Sixtus II, Pope of Rome, Archdeacon Laurence, and Hippolytus, who were martyred during the persecution in AD 253.
Hieromartyr Sixtus II, Pope of Rome, was the first to openly profess his faith in the Risen Lord and was martyred by beheading.
Saint Laurence the Archdeacon was a prominent clergyman of the Roman Church entrusted with managing the Church’s treasury and distributing alms to the needy. When asked to surrender the Church’s treasures, he presented the poor, orphans, and those in need, declaring them as the true treasures of the Church, protected by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
In the face of persecution, Martyr Laurence bravely stood by his beliefs, proclaiming that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ.
Saint Hippolytus, who cared for the relics of the saints, also faced persecution and martyrdom for his devotion to Christ.
Reflecting on the lives of these saints, we are reminded of Saint Paul’s words about Christians being God’s co-workers, tending to His field and building. Believers are called to be a light and salt in the world, shining brightly and preserving against moral decay.
Source: Church of Cyprus