Venerable Cyriacus of Bisericani, Romania

Commemorated on December 31

Saint Cyriacus of Bisericani is one of Romania's greatest ascetics, and in his life he was like the great Fathers of the Egyptian desert.

He lived in the Bisericani monastery at the beginning of the seventeenth century, which then had more than a hundred monks. Longing for a life of solitude, St Cyriacus went to live in a cave at Simon Mountain and remained there for sixty years.

Like St Onuphrius (June 12), St Cyriacus went about naked in summer and in winter, and his body became overgrown with hair. He glorified God with unceasing prayer and ascetical struggles, and Christ gave him the grace to overcome the demons which assailed him.

Attaining great holiness and perfecting himself in virtue, St Cyriacus fell asleep in the Lord in 1660. His relics were buried in his cave, where there is now a small chapel dedicated to him. Later, because of unsettled conditions in the land, the faithful took portions of his relics away in order to preserve them.

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SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2010(with 2009's link here also and further, 2008's, even 2007!)