Holy Martyr Sira

Life

A kinswoman of Saint Mary Golinduch (see July 12). A Persian woman from the city of Kirkha-Seleucia, the daughter of a great fire-worshipping priest. Raised in paganism, the maiden Sira learned of Christ from certain poor Christian women, and her young heart was kindled with love for the Lord. During a certain illness, while she had not yet been baptized, she sought dust from the church from a Christian priest, but the priest turned her away as one unbaptized. Then with great faith she touched the garment of the priest and was healed. This miracle of healing confirmed her even more in the faith of Christ. But her heartless father handed her over to fierce tortures, during which she received encouragement and comfort from heavenly visions. She was forcibly strangled with a rope and drowned in water in the year 558, in the time of the Persian king Khosrow I, and in the eighteenth year of her life. And thus this holy maiden gloriously completed her earthly journey and departed to the heavenly abodes of the angels.