a large island in the Mediterranean, situated between Cilicia
and Syria. Its inhabitants were plunged in all manner of luxury and
debauchery. Their principal deity was Venus. The Apostles Paul and
Barnabas landed in the isle of Cyprus, A. D. 44, Acts xiii, 4. While
they continued at Salamis, they preached Jesus Christ in the Jewish
synagogues; from thence they visited all the cities of the island,
preaching the Gospel. At Paphos, they found Bar-Jesus, a false prophet,
with Sergius Paulus, the governor: Paul struck Bar-Jesus with blindness;
and the proconsul embraced Christianity. Some time after, Barnabas went
again into this island with John, surnamed Mark, Acts xv, 39. Barnabas
is considered as the principal Apostle, and first bishop, of Cyprus;
where it is said he was martyred, being stoned to death by the Jews of
Salamis.
CYRENE was a city of Lybia in Africa, which, as it was the principal
city of that province, gave to it the name of Cyrenaica. This city was
once so powerful as to contend with Carthage for preëminence. In profane
writers, it is mentioned as the birthplace of Eratosthenes the
mathematician, and Callimachus the poet; and in holy writ, of Simon,
whom the Jews compelled to bear our Saviour’s cross, Matt. xxvii, 32;
Luke xxiii, 26. At Cyrene resided many Jews, a great part of whom
embraced the Christian religion; but others opposed it with much
obstinacy. Among the most inveterate enemies of Christianity, Luke
reckons those of this province, who had a synagogue at Jerusalem, and
excited the people against St. Stephen, Acts xi, 20.
and Syria. Its inhabitants were plunged in all manner of luxury and
debauchery. Their principal deity was Venus. The Apostles Paul and
Barnabas landed in the isle of Cyprus, A. D. 44, Acts xiii, 4. While
they continued at Salamis, they preached Jesus Christ in the Jewish
synagogues; from thence they visited all the cities of the island,
preaching the Gospel. At Paphos, they found Bar-Jesus, a false prophet,
with Sergius Paulus, the governor: Paul struck Bar-Jesus with blindness;
and the proconsul embraced Christianity. Some time after, Barnabas went
again into this island with John, surnamed Mark, Acts xv, 39. Barnabas
is considered as the principal Apostle, and first bishop, of Cyprus;
where it is said he was martyred, being stoned to death by the Jews of
Salamis.
CYRENE was a city of Lybia in Africa, which, as it was the principal
city of that province, gave to it the name of Cyrenaica. This city was
once so powerful as to contend with Carthage for preëminence. In profane
writers, it is mentioned as the birthplace of Eratosthenes the
mathematician, and Callimachus the poet; and in holy writ, of Simon,
whom the Jews compelled to bear our Saviour’s cross, Matt. xxvii, 32;
Luke xxiii, 26. At Cyrene resided many Jews, a great part of whom
embraced the Christian religion; but others opposed it with much
obstinacy. Among the most inveterate enemies of Christianity, Luke
reckons those of this province, who had a synagogue at Jerusalem, and
excited the people against St. Stephen, Acts xi, 20.