From the Prologue of Ochrid
These merciful and wondrous saints were not brothers by blood, but they were brothers in spirit. Cyrus first lived in Alexandria and as a physician healed people both by the power of Christ and by physical medicines. Having learned that illnesses attack people mostly because of sins, he always directed the sick to cleanse their souls from sin by repentance and prayer, that through this they might restore health to the body also. When Diocletian's persecution of Christians began, Cyrus withdrew to Arabia where he received the monastic rank. But just as he had been famous in Alexandria, so he became renowned in Arabia also, and people there too resorted to him for help. Having heard of Cyrus, John, then a Roman officer in Edessa, came to Arabia to see him. Upon meeting, they loved one another as brother loves brother, and remained together to practice asceticism. At that time the torturers were torturing a certain Christian woman Athanasius, with her three daughters in the city of Canopus. Cyrus and John heard of this and came to Canopus to encourage the mother and daughters not to fall away from the faith. And indeed, thanks to the counsels of these saints, Athanasius endured all the torments and with her daughters was killed for Christ. The daughters of Athanasius were called: Saint Theoctista of fifteen years, Theodotia of thirteen years and Eudocia of eleven years. Then the torturers seized Cyrus and John and, after torments and imprisonment, beheaded them with the sword in the year 311. Innumerable miracles were performed by these holy martyrs both in life and after death. Their relics were transferred in the time of Emperor Arcadius to Rome. They are invoked for help especially for insomnia, at the blessing of water, and at the anointing with oil (see June 28).
