The Orthodox Church commemorates today Saint Publius, Bishop of Malta and later Bishop of Athens, and Hieromartyr Marios, Bishop of Sebasteia.
It also commemorates the translation of the holy relics of Saint Nikiforos, Patriarch of Constantinople.
Saint Nikiforos was ordained Patriarch of Constantinople on Easter of 806 AD. During the reign of the fierce iconoclast Leo V, he was forced to resign and live in exile for thirteen years in a monastery. After the death of emperor Leo, he returned to Constantinople. The emperor promised to bring Nikiforos back to the Patriarchate on the condition that he would no longer raise the issue of the restoration of the Holy Icons. The Saint did not agree, so he left Constantinople again.
She passed away on the 2nd of June 828 AD. After the restoration of icon veneration, the removal of Patriarch John from the throne and the election of Methodius, Empress Theodora approved the translation of the relics of the blessed Patriarch Nikiforos in Constantinople.
Thus, Methodius of Constantinople, followed by priests and a large number of believers, went to the monastery of St. Theodoros, where the relics were located which were then translated by a royal ship to Constantinople. The kings and the Senate placed them into the Great Church. Afterwards, they were translated to the Church of the Holy Apostles on the 13th of March, which is the same date on which the Saint was exiled.
Source: Church of Cyprus
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