3-084-911 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Saint Cyriacus, c1509-1510. The saint reads from his book of exorcism. He winds his stole round the neck of a woman kneeling at his feet as he delivers her from possession by devils. Cyriacus is credited with exorcising demons from two young women. The first was Artemisia (or Artemia), the daughter of Emperor Diocletian, which resulted in both Artemisia and her mother Serena of Rome converting to Christianity. The second was Jobias, the daughter of Shapur I of Persia, which led to the conversion of the King's entire household. (This second instance is impossible, however, because Shapur died thirty years before the reputed exorcism and his only daughter was named Adur-Anahid, not Jobias).