Timothy and Mavra

The Holy Martyrs Timothy and Mavra

The holy martyrs Timothy and Mavra (also spelled Maura) were a newly-married Christian couple who suffered martyrdom in the year 286, under Arianos, the pagan governor of Thebaid, during the reign of Diocletian, in Thebes, Egypt.

Under some accounts Timothy was a priest of the Church, but in most he was a reader. He was married to Mavra, a devout Christian woman from a very pious Christian family. Timothy was known for his great piety and knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Many times at night after the day’s work, villagers would gather around Timothy where he would read to them from the Scriptures.

After only twenty days of marriage, Timothy was summoned to the pagan governor Arianos, to be brought to trial for his Christian teaching and missionary work. At first, he was asked to surrender all of his sacred books in order for them to be destroyed. Timothy refused, for he knew their value and power. “If a father who loves his children,