Commemorated on August 18
Floros and Lauros were brothers in the flesh, in the spirit and in vocation. Both were zealous Christians, and were stonecutters by occupation. They lived in Illyris. A pagan Prince hired them for the building of a temple to the idols. It happened that, during their work, a piece of stone flew and struck he eye of the pagan priest Merentius’ son, who was observing the work of the builders with curiosity.
Seeing his son blind and bloody, the pagan priest began to shout at Floros and Lauros and wanted to beat them. The Holy brothers said to him that if he would believe in the God in whom they believed, his son would be healed. The pagan priest agreed. Floros and Lauros prayed with tears to the one, living Lord God and traced the sign of the Cross over the child’s injured eye. The child was immediately healed, and his eye became whole, just as it had been. Then Merentius and his son were baptized. Shortly after both the pagan priest and his son suffered for Christ being tortured by fire.
When they completed the temple, Floros and Lauros placed a Cross on it , summoned all Christians and consecrated it in the name of the Lord Jesus. All night they held vigil singing hymns to the Lord. Hearing of this, the Illyrian deputy burned many of those Christians who suffered for Christ. He then had Floros and Lauros thrown into a well. He filled t with dirt to suffocate them.
Their holy relics were later revealed and translated to Constantinople. These two wonderful brothers suffered and were martyred for Christ and glorified by him in the second century.
Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 4
Let us praise as is meet, O you faithful, / the most comely, radiant and divinely wise martyrs: / Most blessed Floros and all venerable Lauros, / who proclaimed to all the uncreated Trinity. / Suffering unto bloodshed, / they were adorned with brilliant crowns. / Entreat Christ our God to save our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 8
Today all the world honors in glory the divinely wise Floros and Lauros, / as pious martyrs who suffered for Christ. / Through their prayers may we receive grace and mercy / and be delivered from calamity and temptation, / and from wrath and sorrow on the Day of Judgment.