Sts Cyprian and Justina

Cyprian of Antioch was dedicated to the pagan gods from childhood and studied sorcery in the great centers of paganism until he could command demons, cast spells and summon plagues. A young pagan asked him to win, by magic, the Christian maiden Justina, who had consecrated herself to Christ. Cyprian sent demon after demon against her, but Justina overcame them all with prayer, fasting and the Sign of the Cross. Seeing that the devil was powerless before Christ, Cyprian renounced him, confessed his sins, burned his books of magic and was baptized. He became a priest and then bishop, while Justina became abbess of a convent. Under Diocletian both were beheaded at Nicomedia, together with the soldier Theoctistus, who believed on seeing their courage. Orthodox Christians pray to Sts Cyprian and Justina for protection from sorcery, the evil eye and every power of darkness.

Russian usage invokes them chiefly against sorcery and 'porcha' (spells); the Greek tradition has the well-known 'Prayer of St Cyprian' (Ευχή του Αγίου Κυπριανού) read by priests against the evil eye and witchcraft, and Greek popular piety strongly associates him with the evil eye. Church writers on both sides warn that these prayers are not charms: the Russian prayer collections stress that the chief defense is turning to God, with the saints as intercessors. Do not confuse him with St Cyprian of Carthage (31 Aug / Western 16 Sep). Some prayer texts attributed to Cyprian circulating online are apocryphal or occult.