St. Cyriacus

St. Cyriacus is drenched with boiling pitch before being stretched on the rack and beheaded.

Dr. Pius Parsch offers an insight into the texts for the feast of St. Cyriacus saying that in the past Christians would come to the chapel at his grave, bringing along the sick and passing the night in vigil, during which miraculous cures took place. Although miracles at martyr's tombs are not as numerous as formerly, two miracles are wrought daily by the holy Eucharist and intercession of the martyrs, namely the casting of devils and healing of spiritual diseases, hence the choice of today's Gospel. Today's epistle can be regarded as coming from St. Cyriacus himself who as a deacon received and proclaimed God's word, and as a martyr endured persecution and suffering.