Righteous 4th century

Blessed Cleopatra and her son John of Egypt

4th century

Also known as Cleopatra · John

Cleopatra honored the martyr Varus and lived piously with her son John; after John's early death she endured grief and was consoled through prayer.

Feast Day

October 19

Draft

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Life

Blessed Cleopatra was a pious Christian widow of Palestine, commemorated together with her son John on October 19. According to the synaxarion she came from the village of Edras (Edra) near Mount Tabor, and her husband, an army officer, had died in Egypt. Her veneration is bound up with that of the Martyr Varus, an Egyptian military commander secretly Christian who was put to death during the persecutions of the late third to early fourth century.

Having witnessed Varus's martyrdom, Cleopatra reverently secured his relics and, under the pretext of recovering her husband's remains, transported them from Egypt to her homeland, where she buried them with honor and later built a church over them. Her only son John, who had received a military appointment, died suddenly around the time of the church's dedication. Grieving bitterly, Cleopatra was consoled by a vision in which Varus appeared with John, both radiant and crowned, revealing that John had been received into the heavenly kingdom. She then gave away her possessions to the poor and lived in prayer and fasting beside the church for seven years until her repose.

Timeline 5 moments Read Hide

Late 3rd–early 4th century Martyrdom of Saint Varus The Martyr Varus, an Egyptian military commander and secret Christian, is beaten to death by a judge during the persecutions under Emperor Maximian.
After Varus's death Recovery and translation of the relics Cleopatra, a widow whose husband had died in Egypt, secures Varus's relics by night and, under pretext of recovering her husband's remains, transports them to her village of Edras near Mount Tabor in Palestine, burying them with honor.
During the church dedication Death of John Cleopatra builds a church over Varus's relics. Her son John, newly appointed to the army, suddenly falls ill with a burning fever and dies around midnight during the dedication celebration.
Following John's death The consoling vision Saint Varus appears to Cleopatra in a dream holding John, both radiant and crowned, revealing that John has been received into the heavenly kingdom; she is comforted and gives her possessions to the poor.
Seven years later Repose of Cleopatra After living in prayer and fasting beside the church for seven years, the blessed Cleopatra reposes and is buried in the Church of Saint Varus near her son John.

Contributions & Legacy

4 contributions Read Hide

Recovery of the Relics of Saint Varus

Cleopatra witnessed the voluntary suffering of the Martyr Varus, who was beaten to death by a judge in Egypt during the persecutions of Christians. According to the account preserved by Saint Dimitri of Rostov, she arose by night with some of her servants, removed the martyr's body, and concealed it in her home, where she dug a grave for it. Saint Nikolai Velimirovich's account relates that she took the relics from a dung heap and buried them in her house.

Wishing to bring the relics to her own country, Cleopatra obtained permission from the local ruler to take away remains by representing them as those of her deceased husband. Instead of her husband's body she carried away the relics of Saint Varus, transporting them from Egypt into Palestine to her native village of Edras near Mount Tabor, where she buried them with honor and afterward built a church dedicated to the martyr.

The Death of John and the Vision of Consolation

Cleopatra's only son John had attained an honorable rank and received from the emperor his military appointment and the emblems of his office while the church was being constructed. During the celebration of the church's dedication, John suddenly fell ill, seized by a burning fever that grew worse until he died around midnight. Overcome with grief, Cleopatra lamented and reproached Saint Varus, pleading either for the return of her son or for her own death.

She was comforted by a dream-vision in which Saint Varus appeared holding John by the hand, both shining like the sun in garments whiter than snow, girded with golden belts and wearing crowns of great beauty. Varus explained that, when she had asked him to grant whatever was pleasing to God and beneficial to her and her son, God had enrolled John in the army of the King of Heaven. Through this vision Cleopatra understood that the Lord had received her son into the heavenly kingdom, and she was consoled.

Later Life and Repose

After her consolation Cleopatra distributed her property among the needy, renounced the world, and settled beside the church she had built over the relics of Saint Varus, where her son John was also buried. There she served God in prayer and fasting day and night, engaging in charitable works. The accounts relate that Saint Varus continued to appear to her in glory together with John, by tradition every Sunday as she prayed.

Having lived in this manner for seven years, the blessed Cleopatra fell asleep in the Lord. Her body was laid in the Church of Saint Varus beside her son John.

Veneration

Cleopatra and her son John are commemorated on October 19 together with the Martyr Varus, whose relics she preserved. Saint Varus is especially honored among Russian Orthodox Christians as an intercessor for those who have died outside the Orthodox faith, a veneration connected to his intercession on behalf of Cleopatra's son John.

Notes

Named mother-son commemoration kept as one row.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints