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| St. Constantine the Wonderworker (Feast Day - July 1) |
Saint Constantine was one of the 300 Alemanni who came and settled in Cyprus to live an ascetic life in the twelfth century. He came with three others and settled in a cave in an area known as Trachiados or Trachia, between the villages of Achna and Ormedia. There they lived strict ascetic lives in fasting, labor, vigil and prayer.
There seems to be a confusion between this Saint Constantine and perhaps another Saint Constantine who lived in the third or fourth century, and at some point their stories converged.
The latter Saint Constantine lived under the governor Sabinus, who was a persecutor of Christians. Saint Constantine and those with him were brought before Sabinus, and bravely confessed their faith in Christ. For this they underwent various tortures to renounce their faith. Remaining steadfast in their faith, they were finally beheaded.
Faithful Christians took their bodies and buried them in Ormedia. From their graves a holy spring began to flow. This was discovered by a certain dog that was sick who was healed when it drank from this water. This holy spring became a source of healing for other animals as well people. Leontios Machairas informs us that a certain ruler of Cyprus who suffered from dysentery and deafness was healed after bathing in this spring. Because of this he built a church dedicated to Saint Constantine.
