Cyrus was a physician in Alexandria. He instructed the sick to cleanse their souls from sins through prayer and repentance. When Diocletian's persecution of Christians began, he went to Arabia, where he became a monk. He soon became famous there too. Hearing about Cyrus, the Roman officer from Edessa John came to him and stayed there to work as an ascetic with him. At that time, the torturers were torturing the Christian woman Athanasius and her three daughters in the city of Canopus. Cyrus and John went to encourage them not to apostatize from the faith, and they did indeed suffer martyrdom for Christ. Then the torturers caught both of them and beheaded them in 311. During the reign of Emperor Arcadius, their relics were transferred to Rome. They are invoked for help especially in cases of insomnia, the consecration of water and the consecration of oil.
Holy Martyr Tryphena. Venerable Nikita of the Caves.