When she rejected to marry the son of the magistrate, Emperor Diocletian ordered Saint Kyriaki and her parents to sacrifice to idols. However both her parents remained strong in their faith, and after being greatly tortured, they were finally beheaded for their love of Christ. Saint Kyriaki was then presented with great flatteries to turn her away from Christ, however this did not touch her Soul at all, and she responded…
“Do not think, O king, by these flatteries or by frightening punishments that I shall deny my sweetest Jesus Christ; for there is no torment, no punishment and no torture which can separate me from His love. Though you would give me other riches with my patrimony, or even if you were to give me your Earthly kingdom, it would be impossible for me to renounce the piety of my fathers. Moreover, I cannot consent to marry; for I prefer none other to my Christ, to Whom I have given myself, so I may live and die a virgin.”
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