St. Cyprian and St. Justina icons
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St Cyprian & St Justina maple and walnut icons. Sold as a pair. Made to order, 2-3 weeks before dispatch. Approx. 170mm H x 80mm W x 40mm D.
PLEASE NOTE, DUE TO THE NATURE OF WOOD, COLOUR AND CERTAIN DETAILS MAY VARY SLIGHTLY.
Cyprian, according to his Confession, was dedicated from early childhood to the service of the god Apollo. In his youth he was sent to study the arts of sorcery on Mount Olympus, home of the gods, where he learned all of the diabolical arts. As a young man he travelled to the city of Argos where he served the goddess Juno; to the island of Icara where he served Diana; to Sparta where he practiced necromancy; to Egypt where he learned more spells and incantations; to the Chaldeans who taught him astrology. Finally, he found himself working in Antioch as a black-hearted sorcerer for hire.
Justina was a young maiden born of pagan parents who was said to have lived in the third century. One day, while sitting at the window, she overheard a deacon in the street singing the praises of Christ. Eventually, despite her pagan upbringing, she decided to give herself to the Christian Faith, taking as she did so a private vow of chastity.
Justina’s faith defeated Cyprian’s attempts to sway her to love, and so he too converted to Christianity. They were martyred in Nicomedia at the end of the third century or the beginning of the fourth (there are several versions of this story).