The chapter delves into the life and literary output of St Neophytos the Recluse, a distinctive Byzantine author in twelfth- and early thirteenth-century Cyprus. It examines his writings, education, and pivotal role in revitalizing monastic traditions, particularly in contrast to Constantinople. The focus extends to Neophytos’s hagiographical work, specifically the Panegyrike, his collection of works of a hagiographical and homiletic character. His sources, narrative styles, and unique contributions are discussed with an emphasis on his confessional and personal approach. Additionally, the chapter discusses the Passio of the Thirteen Martyrs of Kantara (BHG 1198), martyred under Latin rule in 1231. It highlights the text’s anti-Latin character and the elements of theological dispute it encapsulates.

Cyprus’s early connection with the spread of Christianity is highlighted in the Acts of the Apostle Barnabas (BHG 225), dating from the fifth century and detailing his apostolic mission to the island. The Acts describe the apostle’s martyrdom in Salamis, bolstering the apostolicity of the Church of Cyprus. The Encomium by Alexander the Monk (BHG 226) recounts the discovery of St Barnabas’s relics, intertwining hagiography with historical events to defend the ‘justifiable request’ of the Cypriots to be free of the authority of the Patriarchate of Antioch. Authored by Rhodon, the Life of Herakleidios (BHG 743), a disciple of St Barnabas and Bishop of Tamasos, depicts his struggles against paganism and defends the ancient status of the Church of Tamasos. Completing the hagiographic cycle related to the Apostle Barnabas, the Life of Auxibios (BHG 204), written in the seventh century, presents in a linear narrative the hero’s itinerary from Rome, his birthplace, to Cyprus, where he was baptised and became Bishop of Soloi. The hagiographer largely borrows extracts from other texts, a fact pointing to a composition in the first half of the seventh century, and takes a conciliatory approach, in contrast to earlier hostile depictions of the pagans.

The Introduction discusses the rise of Christianity in fifth-century Cyprus and the status of autocephaly that its Church came to enjoy after the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesos (431). These developments were paralleled by the writing of different kinds of hagiographical texts, which promoted the figures of local saints by entangling them into current political and ecclesiastical issues. In terms of the forms of expression or the arrangement and choice of subject matter, hagiographical texts coincided with pre-Christian literature at many points. Yet, by virtue of their narrative form and subject matter, they carved out a path of their own.

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the hagiographical landscape of Cyprus, focusing on the prevalence of bishop saints during late antiquity (fourth to seventh centuries). The discussion underscores the island’s unique ecclesiastical identity, emphasising the influential role of bishops in taking a leading role in society and in shaping the religious identity of the island. The autonomy, highlighted by its autocephalous status, that the Church of Cyprus came to enjoy as early as the fifth century is examined in detail. The chapter addresses challenges in literary analysis, in dating hagiographical texts, and in navigating the intricacies of Byzantine hagiography within the context of Cyprus. It investigates which authors and texts a discussion of the hagiography of Byzantine Cyprus should touch upon, examining the criteria for classifying texts as part of this literature. Various categories of texts are considered, including those by native Cypriot authors, translations, rewritings, and works set in different geographical locations. The chapter emphasises the significance of comprehending these texts beyond historical documentation, recognising them as literary expressions of faith and tradition.

The hagiography of fourth-century bishops in Cyprus fits well into the literary tradition of lengthy texts. In honour of Theodotos of Kyrenia, bishop and martyr, five texts were written (BHG 2434–2438/9) from the ninth to the eleventh centuries. A rich hagiographical dossier applies also to St Spyridon of Trimithous. A lost metrical work is attributed to his disciple Triphyllios. Two later compositions, one now ascribed to Leontios of Neapolis (BHG 1648a) and the other by Theodoros of Paphos (BHG 1647), offer distinct perspectives on his miracles, episcopal activity, and posthumous cult. The discussion extends to the hagiographies of Sts Triphyllios and Tychon, exploring their roles in Christianizing Cyprus. Shifting focus to St Epiphanios, a four-part hagiographical text (BHG 596–599) raises suspicions of literary artifice on account of its potentially fictitious authors. The vita Epiphanii (VE) exhibits a simple style, incorporating verses and drawing from various hagiographical traditions. The Lives BHG 601b and 601a represent revised versions of the vita Epiphanii, condensing narrative details, emphasizing didactic elements, and introducing comments on Epiphanios’s virtues. The reworked biographies reflect later Byzantine rationalization and revival, and the saint’s universal recognition.

Two other significant authors represent the golden age of Cypriot hagiography that was the seventh century. Theodoros, Bishop of Trimithous, provides a detailed account of St John Chrysostom’s biography, also touching on the thorny question of his subject’s dispute with Theophilos of Alexandria and Epiphanios. Anastasios of Sinai, a Cypriot monastic, authored edifying stories that, inter alia, defend Chalcedonian Orthodoxy and record episodes of Arab expansion affecting Cyprus.

The Life of St Artemon the Wonder-Worker (BHG 175), a holy man from Asia Minor, recounts his martyrdom during Diocletian’s persecution. Though not born in Cyprus, he later connects with the island, performing miracles, converting locals, and leaving a lasting impact, evidenced by continued veneration. A Slavonic translation of the original Passio (BHG 175) is also found in the celebrated codex Suprasliensis (ff. 110v–118v), the earliest surviving manuscript in Cyrillic.

The texts written in honour of Ioannes the Almsgiver, the Cypriot Patriarch of Alexandria, highlight his acts of philanthropy rather than paying attention to his role in historical developments of the early seventh century. This is evident in the stories which make up the composition of Leontios of Neapolis (BHG 886), likely commissioned by Arkadios I, Archbishop of Cyprus and a learned and influential figure. These stories supplement the now lost work that Ioannes Moschos and Sophronios dedicated to the saintly Patriarch. Leontios criticises their style, introduces a non-elaborate language, and is little interested in presenting facts in chronological order. The value of Epitome BHG 887 v lies in its preserving, in its first part and in abridged form, stories from the text of Ioannes Moschos and Sophronios. The BHG 887x Epitome, edited in the Appendix of the book, is notable for the inclusion of some rare and/or otherwise unattested words.