E07362: Sophronius of Jerusalem, in his Miracles of the Saints Cyrus and John, recounts how *Kyros and Ioannes/Cyrus and John (physician and soldier, martyrs of Egypt, S00406) healed at her home in Alexandria a certain Kosmiana, from an injury to her back incurred on a journey to their shrine at Menouthis (near Alexandria, Lower Egypt). Written in Greek in Alexandria, 610/615.

Sophronius of Jerusalem, The Miracles of Saints Cyrus and John, 33

Summary:

There was a certain Kosmiana who did not suffer from any disease. One day she had a longing to go to the sanctuary of Cyrus and John to venerate their relics. Thus she mounted her donkey and headed for Menouthis. The father of envy (ho tou phthonou pater), however, saw her great desire, and decided to prevent her zealous arrival at the martyrs’ sanctuary and her accomplishment of this pious act of veneration.

When the woman was halfway along her journey, he [the Devil] suddenly threw to the ground the donkey which was carrying her. She fell on her back which was shattered. For some time she seemed to be dead, but then she returned to her senses. Those who accompanied her wanted to take her back to the city, so that she could be examined by physicians. The woman, however, understood that it was a demon who planned to prevent her visit to the martyrs, and asked her assistants to take her to the sanctuary. So with great difficulty they again placed her on the donkey, and carefully carried her to Cyrus and John. She prayed to the martyrs and venerated their tomb (soros), and then she had herself carried back to the city, since she did not want to reside in the sanctuary until she regained her strength. She addressed the martyrs, saying that, since she had not been suffering when she decided to venerate them, so she would not stay in their sanctuary to obtain a complete cure. She asked them instead to heal her in the city [Alexandria] and then left Menouthis, although her life was in danger.

On the same night the martyrs appeared to her in the form of physicians.

Μειδιάσας δὲ ὁ τὴν τοῦ καθηγουμένου τάξιν καὶ τὸ διδασκαλικὸν φανεὶς ἐπέχων ἀξίωμα, τῷ μαθητιῶντι προσέταξε· Πάρελθε, φησίν, καὶ θᾶττον αὐτὴν τῆς πληγῆς ἐλευθέρωσον. Ὁ δὲ πληρῶν τὸ ἐπίταγμα, δρομαῖος ἐλθὼν τὴν σιαγόνα πλήττει ῥαπίσματι, καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῇ νοσούσῃ χαρίζεται.

'The one who seemed to have the rank of the leader and the dignity of a teacher [Kyros] smiled and commanded the one who was as a student [Ioannes]: “Come, said he, and quickly deliver her from her wound.” He executed the order and approaching her quickly slapped her in the cheek, and graciously gave deliverance to the sick.'

She, came to herself after the slap, thought that it had happened in reality, but then saw neither the master physician, nor his pupil, nor a trace of the slap on her cheek, nor the terrible wound on her back. She woke up and praised the grace of the martyrs and the speed of her cure.

Text: Fernández Marcos 1976, lightly modified in the light of Gascou 2007. Summary and translation: J. Doroszewska.