Judas Cyriacus

Saint Judas Cyriacus, also known as Cyriacus of Ancona, lived in the early centuries of the Church and died around AD 360. His birthplace is not known, but his name is closely linked with Ancona in Italy, where he is honored as bishop and martyr. Local tradition remembers him as a shepherd of souls who journeyed on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a devotion that ultimately led to his death. Over time, the Church’s memory of Judas Cyriacus became entwined with a beloved ancient legend: that a Jew named Judas helped Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, discover the True Cross at Golgotha, then embraced baptism and took the name Kyriakos, “belonging to the Lord.” Later accounts portray him as a courageous bishop who suffered under the persecutions associated with Julian the Apostate, enduring torments alongside his mother, Anna. His relics were long venerated, especially in Ancona, where the cathedral of San Ciriaco bears his name. He is patron saint of Ancona. His feast day is May 4.