In this icon, we can see saints Cyricus and Julitta who suffered martyrdom in the year 305, during the times of brutal persecution of Christians. According to the researchers, the icon was created by Gury Nikitin, the famous maestro of icon and wall painting of the second half of the17th century, or by an artist who belonged to his school. This is proved by the style and colors of the icon that are typical for the paintings of that school.

According to the legend, the holy martyr Julitta lived in Asia Minor. She was born into a noble family and professed Christianity. During the persecution of Christians, she and her three-year-old son Cyricus, on the order of the hegemon (viceroy) Alexander, were captured in the town of Tarsus. Julitta was cruelly tortured, and the child was thrown down. Falling down, he broke his head and died. The martyr bore her suffering for Christ bravely, and afterwards, she was sentenced to beheading. After their death, the bodies of Julitta and Cyricus were committed to earth by the maids. Later, during the reign of King Constantine who professed Christianity, the relics of the martyrs were acknowledged to be incorruptible.

The dramatic composition The beheading of the martyr Julitta was painted by the artist in a larger scale than other stories, and brought it closer to the viewer. As well as in the other fragments, he elaborately depicted the details, especially the clothes of the characters.

The icon of holy martyrs Cyricus and Julitta was in the church of St. Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl. The church was built at the request of Ulita Scripina, widow of the merchant Bonifatius Scripin. Some of the funds for the construction of the church were provided by his brother. The icon painter Gury Nikitin worked at the paintings of the central temple of St. Elijah and probably painted the icon during the same period, around 1680.