The Church celebrates the lives of two saints today. Saint Ariston, the Bishop of Arsinoe in Paphos, whose Diocese was re-established in 1996 by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Paphos, now Archbishop of Cyprus.
We also honor Saint Athanasius the Confessor, who was born in Constantinople and felt called to a life of monasticism from a young age. He became a monk at Pavlopetriou Monastery near Nicomedia and excelled in virtue, drawing inspiration from renowned fathers like Theodore the Studite and Ioannis, abbot of Katharon Monastery. Saint Athanasius bravely opposed the iconoclasts and suffered torture and exile under the iconoclastic Emperor Leo V for his steadfast faith.
His unwavering commitment to Orthodoxy earned him the title of confessor of the faith and serves as a timeless example for Christians to follow.
Source: Church of Cyprus