E01163: The Greek Confession of *Kyprianos of Antioch (martyr, S01704), of the mid 4th c., recounts the career of a magician who became a Christian after failing to seduce the pious Christian girl Ioustina by his magic.

Confession/Penance of Kyprianos of Antioch (BHG 453)

Summary:

1. The text is written in the first person singular, addressing the readers, both Christian and pagan. Kyprianos’ parents dedicate him to Apollo, and, at the age of seven, he is initiated into the mysteries Mithra. Living as a stranger in Athens, he is admitted as a citizen, and, at the age of ten, he is initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries and serves at the temple of Pallas Athena on the acropolis. He spends forty days on mount Olympus, having visions of demons. He is later initiated at Argos, Elis, and Sparta. He then goes to Phrygia and Scythia to learn divination. At the age of twenty, he goes to Memphis in Egypt, where he studies the categories and natures of demons, which he enumerates in detail. At the age of thirty, he goes to the Chaldeans to study the air, the light, and their demons. He meets the Devil himself who honours him as a good servant, gives him a retinue of demons and promises to make him a demonic ruler after his death. The Devil’s appearance is impressive, but his nature is deceptive, because he has no real substance, but only deceives the spirits of humans.

2. What makes Kyprianos seek God and realise the impotence of the demons is their failure to conquer Iousta/Ioustina. He settles in Antioch in Syria, where he practices magic. A certain young man called Aglaides/Aglaidas asks to be joined to the young woman Iousta/Ioustina. Kyprianos, himself now possessed by desire for her, tempts the girl by his magic for seventy days, but fails. Kyprianos and Aglaidas ask Belial at least to rid them from the desire, but he is unable to do it. On the fiftieth day, the demon of fornication attempts to deceive Aglaidas by offering him another girl presented as Ioustina, but the fraud is revealed as soon as Aglaidas calls out the name of Ioustina. Kyprianos himself is transfigured into a woman and a bird, but his magic vanishes as soon as he reaches Ioustina’s door. He transforms Aglaidas into a bird in order to enter Ioustina’s room, but, when she emerges, he resumes his form, and almost dies falling off a branch. Kyprianos assails with his magic Ioustina’s parents, their flocks and animals, and sends a plague to the people, giving an oracle that it will stop if Ioustina marries Aglaidas. Her prayers, however, defeat the plague and pacify the populace. The people glorify Christ and accuse Kyprianos of treason. He realises the superiority of the sign of Christ and rebukes the devil who attempts to kill him, but Kyprianos calls upon the God of Ioustina and frees himself by the sign of the cross. As the devil leaves, he threatens Kyprianos that Christ will never accept him or forgive his impiety. Kyprianos now addresses directly a Christian audience, expressing his dismay about these words and asking if he can obtain pardon from Christ. They keep silent except a certain Timotheos who speaks out and encourages Kyprianos by saying that the Devil is a liar and that Jesus is the truth and forgiveness. He advises him to meet the bishop.

3. Kyprianos makes a long confession of his crimes and acts of impiety, expressing his despair about wishing to worship the true God, but being overwhelmed by his own sinfulness.

4. Everyone is perplexed, but a certain Eusebios reassures him that he can obtain forgiveness, and declares that he accepts Kyprianos’ confession. Kyprianos requests proofs from the Christian scriptures to show that crimes like his can be forgiven, and Eusebios gives a list of scriptural stories of penitence and forgiveness. He promises that Kyprianos will learn more when he goes to the Christian service, and invites him to the evening prayers and the Sunday service with the bishop. Kyprianos experiences the heavenly service, hears the scriptures and meets the bishop. When Ioustina hears about his conversion, she cuts her hair (i.e. dedicates herself to a life of virginity) and distributes her belongings to the poor. Aglaidas also converts. Kyprianos distributes his own property, and joins Eusebios the presbyter, preaching and converting many.

Text: Bailey 2009.
Summary: Efthymios Rizos.