Paraskeva Friday: what they pray for. Icon of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva Friday

Complete collection and description: Holy Paraskeva Friday, how prayer helps for the spiritual life of a believer.

Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is considered the patroness of the family hearth. She was born into a prosperous family, but after the death of her parents, having given away the existing inheritance, she became a nun. Paraskeva spent her life like saints, helping those in need. Many temples and springs, which have healing powers, were consecrated in her honor. Paraskeva is depicted as a tall and stern woman with a radiant crown on her head.

How does Saint Paraskeva Friday help?

The day of remembrance of this saint is November 10. On this holiday, people did not work and brought gifts to the temple for Paraskeva. By the way, on this day all the rituals of the Intercession were repeated. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa was considered a helper in many matters, so they often turned to her for help in their prayers. This saint was especially revered by women, who called her “The Holy Woman.” In ancient times, people believed that Friday walked the earth and monitored how people followed Christian rules and customs.

What does Paraskeva Pyatnitsa help with:

1. Many consider the saint a healer of various ailments, both physical and spiritual. First of all, she helped cope with women's diseases.
2. Single girls who dream of meeting their soul mate offer prayers to her. Today, there are a huge number of messages from those whom Paraskeva Pyatnitsa helped get married. She is also considered a patroness family well-being. Women dreaming of procreation prayed to Paraskeva about this, and she also helps in a safe and easy birth.
3. People consider this saint to be the patroness of households, fields and livestock. People whose activities are related to farming are asking for Paraskeva’s support.

It will be interesting to find out not only what the icon of Paraskeva Friday helps with, but also what signs exist associated with its day. It is believed that this day is never dry. If a person saw a horse’s hoof print filled with water on the ground, it means that in a month there will come real winter. By the amount of dirt per day, the Paraskevas judged the spring weather, that is, the more there is, the rainier it will be. Girls in the November 10 position should never wash or comb their hair. People also believed that what more people on Paraskeva's day he laughs, the more he will cry in old age. It is forbidden to do dirty work on this holiday, that is, cleaning, washing, etc. This is explained by the fact that with such actions a person can clog the eyes of a saint.

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Holy Paraskeva Friday, how prayer helps

Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is the guardian of family well-being and happiness, the patroness of trade, housekeeping, and women's concerns.

In Rus', since ancient times, Saint Paraskeva has been considered a healer of mental and physical ailments, the guardian of family well-being and happiness, marriage and childbirth.

Girls of marriageable age prayed to her to marry for love and quickly.

Among Orthodox Christians, Saint Paraskeva (Friday, or Petka) has enjoyed love and veneration since ancient times. Many pious customs and rituals are associated with her memory.

In Rus', this saint was especially revered by women. That’s what they called her – “The Holy Woman.” There was a belief that Friday walks the earth in the form of a young beautiful peasant woman or nun, and notes who lives how, who follows Christian rules and customs.

Russian icon painters depicted Paraskeva as tall, stern, with a radiant crown on her head.

• On the day of her memory - November 10 - Russian people brought fruits to the temple for consecration and did not work, even if that day was not Friday, but another ordinary day.
• The rites of the Intercession were repeated on Paraskeva.

Friday, like Wednesday, was considered a day of strict fasting and abstinence. But, for example, on Wednesday you were allowed to do everything, but on Friday you couldn’t spin, you were only allowed to sew. This was explained by the fact that the Savior suffered spitting on that day, and you have to spit on the yarn when you are twisting it.

Friday was associated with both the torment of Christ and the abstinence of Paraskeva.

• Therefore, on Friday it was also forbidden to wash your hair and bathe children.

In the name of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, a chapel or cross with an image was placed at a crossroads, at a fork in the road. These forks were called Fridays. There was not a single auction in Rus' where there was not a temple or chapel in honor of Paraskeva-Friday. The saint was especially revered by industrialists, traders and travelers. They met at “Friday” and saw off relatives and friends until “Friday”. Hence, by the way, the saying about those who often see off and meet - “ Seven Fridays a week“.

BC XX century icons of St. The Paraskevs were in almost every Russian home. According to the general ancient Russian belief, St. Paraskeva was recognized as the patroness of fields and livestock, and therefore in the past, in many places, on the day of her memory, our ancestors together participated in the divine service and brought various kinds of fruits to the church for blessing; These offerings were then kept in houses as sacred. items until the coming year.

Icons of St. The Paraskevs, who were in churches, were honored by the ancient Russian people in a special way.

• The peasants decorated them with various ribbons, flowers, monistas and fragrant herbs and wore them in this form in religious processions and other important ceremonies.

• In connection with this custom is the very name of St. Paraskeva Linen.

• in particular she was called to help from devilish obsession, in fevers, dental, headache and other diseases.

Those suffering from obsession evil spirits They considered it an indispensable rule to place before the icon of St. Paraskeva Friday candles in the hope of gaining freedom from the unclean spirit.

Flowers, herbs and other pendants to the image of St. Paraskeva Fridays were also revered by the Russian people as one of the most effective medical remedies and therefore were preserved from year to year as a very important healing potion.

• In cases of any illness, the Russians boiled it in water and gave this decoction to those suffering from various diseases.

• “Mother Pyatnitsa-Paraskeva! - the girls prayed in the old days, - cover me as soon as possible,” i.e. send the groom quickly, etc.

The Stoglav says that

• “through the churchyards and villages, lying prophets, men, and wives, and girls, and old women, naked and barefoot, with their hair grown and loose, are shaking and killed, and they say that St. Friday and Nastasia and tell them to command Christians to illuminate the canons.”

Friday among the Germanic peoples was called “Frigg’s day.” Frigg – goddess of magic, divination, fertility and marriage; she helped women in labor and determined the fate of newborns.

Historical reference

The Holy Martyr Paraskeva, named Pyatnitsa, lived in the 3rd century in Iconium in a rich and pious family.

Prayer for Paraskeva Friday

O holy and blessed martyr of Christ Paraskeva, maiden beauty, praise of the martyrs, purity of image, magnanimous mirrors, wonder of the wise, guardian of the Christian faith, idolatry flattery of the accuser, champion of the Divine Gospel, zealot of the Lord’s commandments, vouchsafed to come to the haven of eternal rest and in the devil of your Bridegroom Christ God, brightly rejoicing, adorned with the extreme crown of virginity and martyrdom! We pray to you, holy martyr, to be sorrowful for us to Christ God, and to rejoice at His most blessed sight; pray to the All-Merciful One, who opened the eyes of the blind with a word, that He may deliver us from the illness of our hair, both physical and mental; With your holy prayers, kindle the dark darkness that has come from our sins, ask the Father of Light for the light of grace for our spiritual and physical eyes; Enlighten us, darkened by sins, with the light of God’s grace, so that for the sake of your holy prayers sweet vision will be given to the dishonest. O great servant of God! O most courageous maiden! O strong martyr Saint Paraskeva! With your holy prayers, be a helper to us sinners, intercede and pray for the damned and extremely negligent sinners, hasten to help us, for we are extremely weak. Pray to the Lord, pure maiden, pray to the Merciful, holy martyr, pray to your Bridegroom, immaculate bride of Christ, so that through your prayers, having escaped the darkness of sin, in the light of the true faith and divine deeds, we will enter into the eternal light of the unevening day, into the city of everlasting joy, in now you shine brightly with glory and endless joy, glorifying and singing with all the Heavenly Powers the Trisagion of the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer

What do they pray to Saint Paraskeva Friday?

At all times, a woman has been the keeper of the family hearth and, perhaps, there has not been a day in the entire history of mankind when a woman’s eyes and thoughts were not turned to heaven for help in finding long-awaited marital happiness.

In the pantheon of Christian saints there are many Great Martyrs who patronize the fair half - Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Vera, Nadezhda, Love and Sophia, Xenia of Petersburg, Anna the Prophetess. A special place among them belongs to Saint Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, who has been revered among the Slavs since ancient times.

Life of a saint

The name Paraskeva is of ancient Greek origin, translated as “eve of the Sabbath holiday.” Friday has a special meaning in Christianity; it is the day of the crucifixion of Christ.

According to legend, Paraskeva’s parents could not conceive children for a long time, and every Friday they asked the Almighty to send them a child. And when the baby was born on the fifth day of the week, without hesitation, they named the newborn in her honor.

The saint lived in the third century, in Iconium, Asia Minor, during the reign of Diocletian. These were Hard times for followers of the teachings of Christ, who were not favored by the head of state. And yet, she saw her life’s task as enlightening dissidents and converting them to the Christian faith.

In her youth, the girl decided to lead a righteous lifestyle and took a vow of celibacy. Her parents died before they lived old age, and left a good legacy. Paraskeva began to spend the funds received on charity, buying food and clothing for those in need.

In those days, the emperor sent a military commander to the city, whose task was to destroy all followers Christian religion. Residents told him about a girl professing the teachings of Christ, and she was introduced to the commander. He was fascinated by her feminine beauty and tried to persuade Paraskeva to perform the ritual of pagan sacrifice, but to no avail.

As punishment for her unwillingness to renounce her religion, she was chained to a tree, severely tortured, and then imprisoned. There God healed the injuries, but this sign did not stop the executioners, and they soon cut off her head. Residents buried Paraskeva.

After a long time, the saint’s relics were taken to many churches and temples. In our country, grains of her relics are located in the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, in the Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Lord and in other places.

The Paraskevas did not forget about their righteous deeds. Annually On November 10, Christians pay tribute to her memory. On this holiday, it is customary to illuminate fruits in the church that were carefully stored until next year. Many churches were built in honor of the saint; they were usually located near the water and were called Fridays.

People called Paraskeva Petka, Pyatina. In many regions of Russia there are its holy springs, and in Ybsky Seraphim convent(Komi Republic) an icon with the image of Saint Paraskeva streams myrrh.

What does Paraskeva help with?

She is considered the patroness of the “weak” half of humanity; people also called her the “woman’s saint.” Helps you find good husband, conceive a child, maintain and increase family happiness.

Prayers for deliverance from all sorts of ailments (especially toothache and headaches), good women's health, and healing from infertility have long been directed to her. Girls who wanted to meet their betrothed as soon as possible, mothers worried about the fate of their child, wives who dreamed of taking the “green serpent” away from their husbands - they all turned to Paraskeva.

Some researchers believe that the saint inherited the traits of the pagan goddess Mokoshi, the patroness of marriage and cattle breeding, and Lada, the guardian of the family. The Slavs believed that Mokosh spins the lives of human destinies, which is perhaps why Paraskeva patronizes needlewomen. To pay tribute to the great martyr, women on Friday preferred to put all spinning aside. They even prayed to her with a request to protect livestock from death, especially for cows.

Belief in the healing power of Paraskeva was so strong among the people that people wore special prayers around their necks to protect their health as amulets. Decoctions of herbs located near the image of the saint had special healing powers.

Paraskeva also paid attention to travelers, the poor and the suffering. He also protects Mother Nature, looking after fields and ponds.

Prayer helps us realize our desires and aspirations. This is one of the most powerful methods of healing from diseases, a thread that connects us with the Almighty.

Often, the feeling of guilt for their sins before the Creator prevents them from communicating with Him directly, and people begin to look for intermediaries. IN Christian tradition they were the previously living righteous people. Gradually, it became traditional to light candles in front of their icons and find a connection with God through messages addressed to them.

The prayer should be said consciously; it should not be a mechanical repetition of a learned set of words. You need to literally put “a piece of your soul” into it, this is the only way your words can be heard and fulfilled.

Paraskeva Friday has been interceding for us before God for many centuries, possessing a special gift of healing. Below we present the prayers that should be addressed to the holy saint.

Conspiracies for quick marriage

Prayer for the groom:

“Holy Virgin, you are Friday Paraskeva! Send me a man's beard - even a widower, even an old man, even a rich man. I don’t want to be a girl anymore! I humbly bow before you, holy martyr, and ask you one thing: order the male tribe to take me as a wife, and in return I will observe fasting and glorify every Friday. I confirm my request with the call of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let it be so from now on and forever. Amen".

The following plot is performed early in the morning on Paraskeva Friday. Girls say it three times immediately after waking up, kneeling and turning their faces towards the rising sun. Before reading, exclude any communication, do not wash your face, comb your hair or eat.

“My Friday, I serve you and bow my knees before you! Plant a creeper near my house - climbing grass, twisting grass. Let this loach climb up the perch and break without support. Like that vine, let the servant of God (the name of my beloved guy) twine around me, grab onto my waist, spread out in front of me and never part with me. Let it behave like a loach planted by you, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa. Let him be like him and not do without a perch and support, that is, me. No one will interrupt my whisper, no one will flood me with holy water and no one will overwhelm me with a bath broom. And even the most powerful master will not remove its effect. My words are strong, but my deeds are flexible and molded. Let the servant of God (his name) wither for me, and the servant of God (name of his beloved) dry up without me. Amen".

What do they pray to Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, her life

It is written in her life that she was born in the 3rd century in Iconium. Then it was the great Roman Empire, and it was ruled by the formidable persecutor of Christians, Diocletian. The future saint appeared in the family of a wealthy senator. Her parents were deeply religious Orthodox Christians and respected all customs and holidays. But they especially revered Friday, the day of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

Paraskeva’s parents observed a special fast on Wednesday and Friday, remembering the betrayal and suffering of the Lord. Also on Fridays they offered a special prayer for the gift of a child. The request was heard. When a girl was born into the family on the fifth day of the week, they decided to name her Paraskeva. Translated from Greek it means “Friday”.

In her youth she was left an orphan. But she still continued the work of her parents and became the bride of Christ. Many suitors approached her, but the maiden was adamant. The righteous girl distributed her rich inheritance to the poor, the disadvantaged and everyone who was in need. Paraskeva continued to pray and preach the faith of Christ among the people. She converted many townspeople to Christianity, but there were also ill-wishers who slandered and slandered her. As a result, the girl was put in prison.

During this period, the emperor ordered his subjects to eradicate Christianity. And Eparch Aetius decided to carry out the order in the region of Lycaonia under his control, where the city of Iconium was located. They rushed to tell him about the preaching Paraskeva. The priests of the cult accused her of magic, sorcery and sorcery.

When the eparch saw beautiful maiden, he was seduced by her beauty and youth. And he offered to become his wife and live in wealth. In exchange, she had to renounce Christ and make a sacrifice to the pagan gods. But the preacher was adamant and I saw only Jesus Christ as my groom. She told the ruler about this.

Aetius became angry and ordered her to be stripped and beaten with raw ox sinews. In moments of torture, the thoughts of the ascetic of Christ were occupied only with the true God Jesus. But the military leader was sorry to disfigure such beauty, and then Aetius stopped the torture and began to seduce the maiden again with earthly joys. If only she would bow to idols. The martyr was silent. Then he began to blaspheme the entire Christian race, the virgin could not stand it and spat in his face. Angry, Aetius ordered Paraskeva to be hung upside down and tormented with iron claws. But she bravely endured and did not moan. To prolong her death throes, the girl was thrown into prison, in the hope of a terrible death.

Everyone thought that she would renounce her faith and worship idols. But, touching the statue of the idol, she commanded in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to turn it into dust. Then a strong earthquake occurred and the temple was destroyed. Many people, seeing this, believed in Jesus Christ. But the priests were sure that she was a sorceress, and only her magic destroyed the idols.

Aetius agreed with the priests and continued the torment of Paraskeva. He ordered her to be hung up and her sides burned with fire. The girl offered a prayer with special fervor and faith. And the fiery flame spread to the tormentors. Seeing this people began to doubt the power of pagan gods and believed in Jesus.

The ruler decided to execute Paraskeva by cutting off his head, fearing an uprising and rebellion among the people. When the execution took place, the air was filled with a fragrance. Thus, the Lord took to Himself the immaculate soul of the saint. Christians buried her in the house church. Soon death overtook the terrible torturer. When the eparch went hunting, the horse reared up and knocked him over.

Patroness of Iconium

Then the Arab ruler decided to make peace with the Iconians. In return they gave him a lot of silver. And he told them how an unknown force destroyed almost his entire army at night. Then the bishop spoke about the vision in the church at the tomb of Saint Paraskeva.

The emir decided to take possession of the saint's relics, but the horses harnessed to the cart were motionless. Almost three dozen horses could not carry the coffin. After this, everyone understood that the saint wanted to stay in her homeland. The bishop began to beg the emir to leave her, then the Arab ruler ordered a ransom for the relics. He ordered to bring as much gold as the saint’s body weighed. Counting on a generous ransom. The precious metal was collected. The saint's coffin was placed on one pan of the scales, and coins began to be poured into the other. The scales balanced only when there were 15 spools left on the pan. Thus, Saint Paraskeva saved the city from invaders.

Other Paraskevs

Pagan beginning in the image of Paraskeva

The Holy Synod forbade mixing the image of the ascetic of Christ with pagan goddesses, but the tradition of consecrating fruits on Paraskeva’s day and storing them until next year was preserved. The holy great martyr was also associated with the cult of the Week (Sunday), which was mixed with the veneration of Saint Anastasia (translated, the name means “Sunday”).

Parallels are drawn with the image of Paraskeva in the mythology of other countries. In Tajik myths there is an image of “Lady Tuesday” (Bibi-Seshanbi). She is the patroness family happiness, spinning and processing of cotton. There are other mythical creatures that spin fate: ancient greek moira, Icelandic norns, German goddess Frigg. She helped women in labor, arranged the fate of newborns, prophesied and cast spells.

In the popular understanding, Friday was represented as a tall, portly woman with large breasts and long hair, which brings her closer to mythical characters such as Death, the mermaid, Doli. In Paraskev's legends, Pyatnitsa spins abandoned work, which also makes her image similar to the brownie, kikimora and Mara (Morena), the Slavic goddess of death and fertility.

What do people address to Saint Paraskeva Friday?

What do those suffering pray for in front of her image:

It is revered by industrialists and tailors.. There was not a single bazaar in Rus' where there was not a holy temple. The auctions themselves were held on Friday, so it is also revered by traders.

The saint is the patroness of water; her image often appeared in the waters. Throughout Russia there are many springs bearing her name, but there is one endowed with special healing powers. In Rus', sculptures and icons carved from wood were erected, and Paraskeva chapels were erected near reservoirs and wells. The temples at the crossroads were called Fridays.

Customs and rituals associated with Paraskeva Friday

In memory of Paraskev, handicrafts are prohibited on Friday. It was believed that whoever disobeyed her prohibition would clog her eyes, spin her hair and prick her with spindles. The saint could punish, tangle the threads, cause blindness, or throw 40 spindles out the window, which had to be spun in a short time.

Among the Finno-Ugric peoples, the ninth Friday after Easter was considered "cherished day of the sick". On this day, the miraculous image of Holy Friday brought healing.

On the holiday of Paraskeva Friday, wild fun and hard work are not welcome. At this time, you need to fast and you cannot do household chores or agricultural work. It is forbidden to wash, bathe children, comb their hair and gossip. A woman expecting a child should not lend money. It was believed that the fate of the child was being transferred into the wrong hands.

Often on Paraskeva's day they repeated the rites of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary.

Fortune telling. You need to go to bed without undressing and let your hair down. Place a mirror, comb, soap or handkerchief on the pillow. If you dream of a sweetheart and he is gentle and affectionate, then there will be a wedding. The next morning you can’t look out the window so as not to disturb your sleep. If you have a nightmare, you need to wash yourself with water and tell the dream so that it does not come true.

• if a rapid thaw occurs on Paraskeva Friday, then this promises long frosts;
• if a circle has formed around the moon, then a strong wind will rise;
• if Paraskeva is slushy and dirty, then wait for winter in a month.

Temples and churches in honor of Saint Paraskeva

There is the Pyatnitsko-Tugovsky Church in Yaroslavl, built in the 17th century. And in Suzdal there is the Pyatnitsky Church, which is called Nikolsky. A church is being built in the village of Khvoshchevatka Voronezh region. During the war, the Paraskeva temple was destroyed by bombing. Not far away there is a spring known throughout Russia, “7 streams” (“7 springs”), remarkable for its healing power. In the village of Savino near Yekaterinburg in the 19th century, an icon of the saint appeared in the waters of the Pyshma River. As a result, a temple was built in those places, where the icon found its place. In a women's monastery in the Komi Republic there is a myrrh-streaming icon of the Great Martyr.

There are grains of relics in the Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius, in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Moscow. In the capital, there used to be a Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church on Okhotny Ryad. Now the State Duma stands there. And Moscow Pyatnitsky Lane was named after the saint’s temple, but now there is a metro in its place. The relic of Paraskeva Friday is also in the Church of the Prophet Elijah of God in the right chapel, consecrated in honor of Peter and Paul. The relics of Paraskeva are present on Mount Athos in the Russian Panteleimon Monastery.

They remember and pray to the holy great martyr throughout Russia and beyond its borders. A prayer request, which comes with deep faith and from the heart, through the mediation of Paraskeva will always be heard. Prayers to Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, her photos and akathists can be found on the Internet.

The cult of Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa occupies a special place among the Slavs. It so happened that Friday, as a day of the week, was dedicated in the pre-Christian era to the goddess Mokoshi, the patroness of crafts, spinning, weaving and women in general. It was believed that she spins the thread of fate, like the Greek Moirai. The word “Friday” almost became a separate name, and only its absence from the calendar prevented it from gaining a foothold in this role.

This story began during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. In the Asia Minor city of Ikonion (modern Konya in Turkey), a girl was born into the family of a senator. Her parents honored Friday as the day of the suffering of Christ and the girl was named after this day in Greek - Paraskeva.

Since childhood, the girl led an ascetic lifestyle, took a vow of celibacy and decided to devote her life to the education of pagans.

Diocletian set himself the goal of reviving the traditional Roman cult as the basis of the unity of the empire, and this prompted him to begin repression against Christians. It must be said that it was difficult: in the 3rd century, Christians were in the army, at court, and in government positions. First of all, the purges affected them. An era called the Great Persecution began.

The authorities initially did not have the goal of exterminating Christianity; it was enough for its adherents to confirm their loyalty to the emperor by making sacrifices to the Roman gods. It was almost impossible to achieve this: Christians died, they were sent to feed animals, they were tortured, the heads of Roman citizens were cut off, but all was in vain. It was during this period that the veneration of martyrs became established. Among them are famous names, for example:

• St. George the Victorious;
• Saint Sebastian;
• Agnes of Rome;
• Theodore Stratelates;
• Procopius of Caesarea;
• Peter and Marcellinus of Rome, etc.

Paraskeva was one of these martyrs. She was captured and brought to the eparch Aetius. He liked the girl, and he did not believe that she believed in Christ.

He even invited her to marry him, after bowing to idols. But Paraskeva replied that her only groom is Jesus Christ, and her beauty is a temporary thing.

Refusing to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Paraskeva joined the Passion of Christ, after which she was named. She was tied to a tree and tortured with fire. Scorched to the bones, she was thrown into prison, where a miracle happened at night - God healed her. The executioners did not understand this, and they continued the torture, after which they cut off the girl’s head.

Veneration of a saint in Orthodoxy

There are several saints named Paraskeva. Among them are the sister of Photina the Samaritan, Paraskeva of Rome, Serbia, and four new martyrs. Name days of women bearing the names Praskovya, Praskovya and their diminutives are celebrated on December 5 and 11, March 7, April 2 and 8, October 5 and 27. But Paraskeva of Iconium, called Friday, is honored on November 10th.

There are many temples dedicated to the saint. They used to be called that - Friday's. There is also the surname Pyatnitsky, associated with the day of veneration of Paraskeva.

On the day of her execution, many townspeople believed in Christ, and her relics, for a long time those in their homeland healed the sick. Later they were distributed to other cities and monasteries, primarily to Athos. Now there are many places where the relics of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa are located. There are particles of her relics on the territory of Russia, in particular:

• in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra;
• in the Church of the Resurrection in Sokolniki;
• in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Kazan.

Paraskeva Pyatnitsa has become one of the saints who are especially revered in Russia. These also include Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Andrew the First-Called and St. George the Victorious, but Paraskeva is a special case. One could go on and on about how Saint Paraskeva Pyatnitsa helps, but among the people she is considered the patroness of such matters as:

• Friday fairs;
• spinning and weaving;
• blessing of water in springs;
• health of livestock, especially cows;
• patroness of the fields.

On days dedicated to her (and there are several more of them than on church calendar), was not allowed to perform women's work, and there are many superstitions associated with this. Chapels dedicated to the saint were placed near springs: it was believed that she made the water holy. In many ways, this saint is “female”: if you look at what they pray to Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the first thing that comes to mind is a girl’s prayer for a worthy groom and love. The girls believed that prayer would help them find him, just as the saint managed to find her heavenly groom - Jesus Christ.

There are two standardized texts of the prayer for marriage to Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, but the main thing in them is not following the word, but sincerity.

Iconography of Paraskeva Friday

Although it is difficult to establish from canonical images what this or that saint looked like, still character traits their images are displayed on the icons. For example, Nicholas of Myra was always depicted as an elderly Greek with a curly short beard, and computer modeling of the relics actually confirmed this. The same can be said about other saints, whose images have come to us since the Roman era.

Martyr Paraskeva is depicted on icons as a tall girl in a simple dress, over which is draped a maforium - a half-cloak, also called a palla in the western provinces of the empire. In one hand the saint holds the Cross, in the other - a scroll with the Symbol of Faith.

Sometimes Paraskeva is depicted with other saints. Thus, there are images of her with three saints - Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian. On most icons the saint is depicted from the waist up, but there are also full-length images.

These icons are probably in most churches in Russia, and previously they were distributed among the population along with the Savior, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In any case, the small icon was always in the red corner, and during industrialization and migration to cities, people hung it in the bedroom.

People transferred the healing power of the saint’s relics to the icon of Paraskeva Friday. It’s not hard to guess how her image helps. Of course, it helps relieve pain, fever and promotes peace in the family. Some prayers for health addressed to Paraskeva have the nature of conspiracies, but the church condemns such an attitude towards the image of the saint (as a pagan amulet).

There is also a woman’s prayer in front of the icon of the martyr, where she is asked to give strength in faith, protection and patronage.

Folk traditions and cult

Conscious Eastern Slavs the image of Paraskeva superimposed on pre-Christian views and, to a certain extent, replaced Mokosh. The Church fought against this as if it were superstition, but its efforts were in vain.

Features of the veneration of Friday can be listed:

• mixing saints with the name Paraskeva into one cult;
• frequent sculptural images that were placed not only in churches;
• moving the days of veneration to every Friday, but the ninth after Easter stood out especially;
• rituals associated with flax.

Paraskeva Linens and flax

This holiday corresponded to the day of veneration of the Great Martyr Paraskeva of Iconium on October 28 according to the old style (November 10 according to the new style).

On this day, women brought flax to church, which they had just begun to crush. Pervina (as the first crumpled fiber was called) was attached to the icon. On this day it was forbidden to bathe a child, spin, weave or wash. It was believed that the saint would definitely punish for violating this prohibition, but if all rituals were observed, she would be the first assistant.

Ukrainians and Belarusians revered Paraskeva as the keeper of women's traditions and the patroness of land and water. Until the 19th century, in Ukrainian villages there was a custom of leading Friday - a woman with flowing hair was chosen for her role.

Signs and sayings were associated with Paraskeva’s day, for example: “Think of flax and there will be more fiber,” “Whoever laughs a lot on Friday will cry in old age” and others.

The Tale of Twelve Fridays

Once upon a time, an apocryphal text came to Rus' - a non-canonical text that gained popularity among the people. Its source was a Greek text and came to us, most likely, through the Balkan Slavs.

According to apocrypha, a person must observe strict fasting 12 Fridays a year. Anyone who broke the fast could suddenly die, burn out, or be struck by lightning, but those who endured half the fasts of the year could count on a visit from Holy Friday.

On her first visit, the saint will reveal to a person part of his future, and after the twelfth Friday she will predict everything.

Different nations had different sets of Fridays. For example, in Russia the following were honored:

Particular attention was paid to the third and tenth Fridays. Belarusian girls believed that by observing strict fasting on 12 Fridays, they would get married successfully.

In fact, there is no reason for this - after all, Wednesdays and Fridays are considered Orthodox Church fast days.

The Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva was born in the 3rd century in the city of Konya, which is located in what is now southern Turkey. In her life it is said that her parents especially revered the day of the Lord’s suffering - Friday, and therefore they named their daughter, born on this day, Paraskeva, which means “Friday” in Greek. Even in infancy, Paraskeva was baptized, and as she grew up, she took a vow of celibacy and devoted herself to serving the Christian faith. Since she happened to live during a time of severe persecution of Christians (at a time when the wicked king Diocletian (Roman emperor in 284-305) initiated a persecution of the Christian faith) - she was tortured, tortured, but did not achieve a renunciation of the faith.

Her parents, Christians, having raised and taught their daughter to keep the holy faith and commandments of God, went to the Lord. They left their blessed daughter a large estate as an inheritance.

Having reached adulthood, the girl Paraskeva began to imitate the faith and deeds of her parents. She did not spend her property on clothes and jewelry, on luxurious life and She distributed everything she had to those in need: she helped the naked, the hungry, and strangers. Paraskeva did not pay any attention to her suitors who sought marriage with her: she soon became the bride of the one immortal Bridegroom, the Only Begotten Son of God, for whom she lived in holiness and righteousness. She confessed His holy name before people unceasingly, every day, thereby leading them to the knowledge of the truth.

Some of the people believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, while others, unbelievers, slandered the saint. Paraskeva boldly preached the word of God before them and exposed the vanity of faith in soulless idols. Not wanting to listen to accusations from her, the pagans grabbed her and beat her, and then threw her into prison.

At that time, a certain military leader, sent by Emperor Diocletian, came to Konya with the goal of exterminating all Christians there. The citizens approached him and said:
- Most Serene Commander, in this city there is a girl who believes in the Crucified Christ and preaches Him; She practices magic and with her sorcery she has already turned many people away from making sacrifices to our gods. She never ceases to blaspheme the images of our gods and the autocrat. Having heard the royal order that all those who do not worship the gods should be executed, we seized this girl and kept her in prison.

Having heard this, the military commander ordered Saint Paraskeva to be presented to him for trial. When the holy martyr went to the judgment seat, the Holy Spirit overshadowed her, and her face became bright, so that everyone who looked at her was surprised and said:
- Look! She is not at all depressed by sadness, her face even seems to shine.

When Saint Paraskeva appeared before the judges, the military leader looked at her and, amazed at the beauty and nobility of her face, said to those present:
“You have wrongfully slandered this most beautiful maiden: it is impossible to destroy such sun-like beauty.”
And he said to her:
- Girl, tell us your name!
Saint Paraskeva answered:
- I am a Christian, a servant of Christ.
The military leader said:
“Contemplation of the beauty of your face inclines me to meekness, and the words coming from your lips outrage me to the depths of my soul; I don't want to hear such speeches!
The saint answered:
“Every ruler who carries out a fair trial, hearing the truth, rejoices, but you, having listened to the truth I spoke, became angry.
The tormentor said to this:
“I’m angry because I didn’t receive an answer from you; because I asked you about your name, but you didn’t tell me it.
The saint answered:
- First of all, I had to say my name by Eternal Life, and then declare the name temporary for life. So, I said my name according to Eternal Life, that I am a Christian, a servant of Christ, and according to temporary life I was named Paraskeva by my parents, since I was born on Friday (Paraskeva in Greek means<пятница>).
“My parents,” the saint continued, “the sixth day, which is the day of the free and life-giving passions of our Lord Jesus Christ, has always been honored with fasting, prayers and alms. They did this in honor of Christ, believing that out of love for the human race on this day He shed His blood and laid down His life for us on the Cross. God gave them the fruit of their honest marriage - me, His unworthy servant - on that very day that they virtuously revered, remembering the passions of their Master. They were pleased to give me the name by which this day is called, so I am called Paraskeva, I am a participant in the passion of Christ.
The military leader said:
- Stop saying crazy words and make a sacrifice to our gods; then I will take you as my wife, you will become the owner of great wealth, and many will honor you on earth.
To this Saint Paraskeva replied:
“I have a Bridegroom in Heaven, Jesus Christ, and I don’t need another husband.”
Then the commander said:
“I will have mercy on your beauty and spare your youth.”
“Do not spare temporary beauty,” said the saint, “now it blooms, but in the morning it will fade; You better have mercy on yourself, for eternal torment awaits you.

The commander became angry and ordered her clothes to be torn and her to be beaten with harsh sinews. While they were beating the saint, she did not utter a single sound, but silently with her lips and heart she cried out to Christ, asking Him for help in her torment. The military commander, still sparing the beauty of Saint Paraskeva, ordered to stop beating her and began to meekly say:
- Girl! Spare your youth, do not ruin your most beautiful youth! Make a sacrifice to the gods - and you will live and receive great honor from us.

Paraskeva did not answer him anything to this. Then the commander, angry, said:
“Are you not answering me, you evil Christian brat?”

Then the tormentor, becoming terribly furious, ordered Saint Paraskeva to be hanged on a tree and mercilessly torn at her body with iron claws and rubbed her wounds with a hair shirt; her flesh was thus torn to the bone. The ruler, thinking that the martyr would soon die, since she was already barely breathing, took her from the tree and threw her into prison. At midnight, when the martyr lay barely alive and already speechless from cruel wounds, an Angel appeared to her. His shoulders and chest were girded crosswise with a golden belt, and in his hands he held the instruments of Christ’s suffering: a cross, a crown of thorns, a spear, a cane and a lip. The angel told her:
- Maiden, sharer of Christ's passion, arise! I was sent to visit you; To console you in your suffering, I brought the instruments of the passions of our Lord. Look at the honest weapons: the cross and the crown of thorns of the incorruptible Bridegroom; look at the spear that pierced the life-giving ribs, at the reed that wrote the forgiveness of the sins of the whole world, and at the lip that erased Adam’s sin. So, rise up! Christ the Lord heals you!

And so the martyr arose as if from sleep, and the Angel who appeared, approached, wiped all the wounds of the holy martyr with his lip, and her whole body became strong and healthy, and the beauty of her face became even more amazing. She reverently kissed the instruments of Christ's passion and glorified God. After this, the celestial became invisible.

When morning came, the prison guards came and found Paraskeva healthy and standing in prayer; there was not a single wound on her body. Frightened, they reported this to the commander. The latter ordered her to be brought to him and, seeing her healthy, was surprised: he did not expect that she would survive from terrible wounds. Again amazed at her extraordinary beauty, he said:
- Paraskeva, you see how our gods spared your beauty and preserved you, giving you life.
The saint said to this:
- O commander, show me those who gave me life!

The commander sent her to the temple of his gods to look at their idols. The idol priests and a multitude of people also went with her; everyone thought that Paraskeva wanted to worship idols. When they entered the temple, in which there were many idols, Paraskeva mentally prayed to the One True God who dwells in the highest and, grabbing the leg of the idol of Apollo, said:
“I say to you, the soulless one, and to the corruptible idols with you: this is what my Lord Jesus Christ commands you—all of you fall to the ground and turn to dust.”
And so, according to the word of the saint, all the idols fell and crumbled. Then everyone ran out of the idol temple and began to cry:
- Great is the Christian God!

The wicked priests, seeing the destruction and death of their idols, came to the military leader and, crying, told him:
- Warlord! We told you:<Умертви сию волшебницу, так как она обольщает народ>, - but you did not listen to us, and so she crushed all our gods with her magic.

Filled with rage, the military commander angrily began to interrogate Saint Paraskeva:
- What magic did you use to do this?
The saint answered:
“With the name of our Lord Jesus Christ on my lips, I entered the temple of your gods and thus prayed to my Lord:<Явись мне, Спаситель мой, Ты, Который даровал мне жизнь>. And so my Lord and my God Himself appeared to me, and your gods, as soon as they saw Him, trembled with fear and, falling to the ground, broke, showing that if they cannot help themselves, then how will they help others!

Then the military leader ordered Paraskeva to be hanged on a tree again and her body to be burned with candles. Hanged and scorched by fire, the saint prayed to God:
- My Lord and God, Creator and Provider of all creation! You cooled the burning furnace for the three youths, You delivered the First Martyr Thekla from the fire (her memory is September 24, Art. Art.), and save me, unworthy, from the hands of these tormentors.

And suddenly an Angel appeared, touched the candles, and a very strong fire burned, destroying many lawless people. And the people cried:
- Great is the Christian God!

And many people believed in Christ; The military leader, noticing the excitement among the people, was afraid that the people would rise up against him, and hastily ordered the saint to be beheaded with a sword. While her head was being cut off, some heard a voice in heaven saying:
- Rejoice, righteous people, for the martyr Paraskeva is getting married!
Christians reverently buried the saint's body in her home.

So, having completed the feat of torment, the most beautiful maiden went to her Groom, carrying blood instead of oil: she now dwells with the wise virgins in the Chamber of Christ.

The next day, in the morning, the lawless military leader went hunting, but his horse suddenly became furious and threw him into a ravine: falling, the military leader crashed and thus unfortunately gave up his accursed soul.

The holy and pure soul of the Great Martyr Paraskeva departed to the Lord, and from her honest relics many healings were given to the sick, to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Over time, the name of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva Pyatnitsa acquired enormous significance for Orthodox people. Many pious customs and rituals are associated with her memory. Icons of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva protect family well-being and happiness. Saint Paraskeva is the patroness of fields, livestock and trade, as well as water sources. Through the prayers of the holy great martyr, healings are accomplished from the most severe mental and physical ailments.

In Rus', Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa was revered mainly by the female part of the population. She was considered a stern, firm, strong-willed woman. There is a belief that Friday walks the earth in the form of a young beautiful peasant woman or nun, and notes how people live, how they observe Christian rules and customs.

Russian icon painters depicted Paraskeva-Friday as tall, slender, in a white robe with a radiant crown on her head.

People considered her to be the patroness of the household, an accomplice in women's concerns. The peasants said: “Praskovya is a holy woman.” They did not work on the day of her memory, even if this day fell on a Friday and not on another working day of the week. On Friday it was not allowed to spin, but sewing was possible. There is such a warning among the people: do not wash your hair, do not bathe children. Those who laugh a lot on Friday will cry a lot in old age.

Paraskeva's most pure springs are revered by the Russian people in our northern provincial regions. Mothers brought their sick children to the springs, washed them with holy water, and the illnesses all went away.

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Great Martyr Paraskeva was born during the reign of Emperor Diocletian in the city of Iconium in Asia Minor (southern Turkey). Her parents especially honored Friday, when the Lord Jesus Christ suffered on the Cross. In honor of this day, they named their daughter Friday (Paraskeva in Greek).

Parents raised Paraskeva in piety and purity. She was orphaned when she was still young. From childhood, Paraskeva loved Christ with all her heart, imitating her parents in faith and deeds. Having reached adulthood, Paraskeva took a vow of virginity and cared about spreading the faith of Christ among the pagans. She strictly fulfilled the commandments of the Lord, always reverently honored Friday and welcomed strangers into her home. Blessed Paraskeva generously spent her considerable fortune, inherited from her parents, not on jewelry and a luxurious life, but on food and clothing for the poor. The girl was distinguished by rare beauty, but did not pay any attention to the young men who sought her hand.

When Emperor Diocletian began a brutal persecution of Christians, he ordered the ruler of Lycaonia, Aetius, to exterminate the Christian faith in the cities under his control through persecution and torture. Aetius went to Iconium. For confession Orthodox faith Embittered pagans grabbed Paraskeva and brought her to the city ruler. Here she was offered to make a godless sacrifice to a pagan idol. Paraskeva refused to sacrifice to idols:

Come to your senses, Paraskeva, and renounce Christ! “I don’t want to hand you over to the executioner for torture, because I really value your youth and beauty,” the ruler exclaimed.

Do not regret, eparch, temporary beauty. Today it blooms, and tomorrow it will fade. Better think about your soul: eternal torment awaits you.

Paraskeva's words offended the ruler. Aetius ordered to tear the girl’s clothes and beat her with raw ox sinews, and rub her wounds with a hair shirt. While the executioners were torturing Paraskeva, she did not utter a single sound. Looking at the sky, the saint glorified the Lord and asked Him to help endure the torment.

Soon the eparch, sparing the girl’s beauty, stopped the executioners and said affectionately:

Believe, girl, in the gods, and I will save your life.

Instead of answering, the saint spat in his face.

Aetius became terribly angry. He ordered Paraskeva to be hung on a pole and her sides mercilessly whittled with iron claws. Then, ulcerated to the bones and barely alive, they threw her into prison. From the loss of blood and cruel wounds she was so weak that she could not even moan and lay as if dead. But God did not abandon the holy sufferer and miraculously healed her. In the morning, the prison guards saw that there were no wounds on Paraskeva’s body. The saint was completely healthy. She stood and sang prayers. The evil tormentor did not understand this miracle and continued to torture Saint Paraskeva, ordering her to be hanged on a tree and burned with torches. But through prayers, the holy fire could not harm her. Then the angry Aetius ordered her head to be cut off. Thus ended the long-suffering life of the glorious Paraskeva.

The next day in the morning, ruler Aetius went hunting. Suddenly his horse went berserk, reared up and threw the eparch into the thicket. Aetius fell to his death and gave his damned soul to the devil.

Christians buried the body of Saint Paraskeva.

Healings were given to the sick from the relics of the great martyr.

Popular veneration of Saint Paraskeva-Friday

In fact, there are several Saints Paraskeva: March 20/April 2 (Roman Great Martyr Paraskeva, who suffered under Nero), July 26/August 8 (Venerable Martyr Paraskeva, born near Rome in 138), October 14/27 (Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia, famous in the middle of the 11th century), but the most famous and revered in Russia is October 28/November 10 (Great Martyr Paraskeva Friday).

Saint Paraskeva-Friday has always enjoyed special love and veneration among the Orthodox, along with St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Mother of God. On old Northern Russian icons there is even an image of her face on the back of the icon of the Mother of God.

She is considered a connoisseur of mental and physical ailments, the guardian of family well-being and happiness. Girls of marriageable age prayed to her to marry for love and quickly.

Among the people, the saint received the double name Paraskeva-Friday. The Russians called the martyr Paraskeva - Friday, Pyatina, Petka. The Russified form of the name, Praskovya, was popular. Temples and roadside chapels (Fridays) were dedicated to her. There was not a single auction in Rus' where there was not a temple or chapel in honor of Paraskeva-Friday. The saint was especially revered by industrialists, traders and travelers. In pre-revolutionary Moscow there were four churches in her honor, including one in Okhotny Ryad.

On icons, Saint Paraskeva is usually depicted as a stern ascetic, wearing a red maforia, with a radiant crown on her head and holding a cross in her hands.

Troparion, tone 4
The wise and all-praised martyr of Christ Paraskeva, having accepted the strength of men and rejected the weakness of women, defeated the devil and the tormentor to shame, crying out and saying: Come, cut off my body with a sword and burn it with fire, for, rejoicing, I go to Christ, my Bridegroom. Through your prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Kontakion, tone 3
Having brought the all-holy and immaculate torment, like a most holy vein, to the immortal Bridegroom Christ, you rejoiced the angelic countenance and defeated the demonic intrigues. For this reason, we honestly honor you with faith, long-suffering martyr Paraskeva.

It was like an omen. All their lives, Orthodox spouses honored Friday as the day of the Lord’s suffering, and now it is on this day that their daughter is born. Well, why not a sign? We didn’t think for a long time about what to name the girl, and besides, in Greek “Friday” sounds like Paraskeva.

Great Martyr Paraskeva

Paraskeva lived in Iconium in the 3rd century and they knew her as a pure, bright, righteous girl. Following in the footsteps of her parents, she believed in God and even took a vow of celibacy. “I have one groom - Jesus, I don’t need others,” she said. The time was not easy for Christians then. They were persecuted for preaching the truths of the Lord and called upon to worship pagan idols. Paraskeva, on the contrary, told people about the miracles of God and rejected idolatry. The girl was incredibly beautiful, so young men came to her one after another to woo her. But everyone returned with nothing - she was adamant.

One day, Aetius, a servant of the ruler Diocletian, went to the region where Paraskeva lived. He had an assignment - to find preachers of Christ and knock the faith out of them by any means. He didn’t even pass by Paraskeva’s house. Her parents had already died by that time, and there was no one to protect the girl.

Seeing how beautiful she was, Aetius at first wanted to have mercy on her and even ask for her hand in marriage, but realizing that Paraskeva would not renounce her faith so easily, he decided to act. With pain in his heart, he ordered his servants to undress Paraskeva and flog her with ox sinews. It is impossible to even imagine the pain the girl experienced. But no one heard a single word, not a single cry - she prayed to herself and asked the Lord to let her endure these tests.

They tortured Paraskeva for a long time, occasionally interrupting and asking if she was ready to change her mind and still bow to idols. But her answer was always the same. In the end, her body was tortured so much that the girl could hardly breathe. In an unconscious state, they threw her into prison overnight, expecting that by the morning they would find her lifeless. But what was the surprise of the servants when, at dawn, they found a completely healthy Paraskeva in the dungeon, without a single trace of beating on her body! They could not have known that at night an angel, a messenger of God, flew to the girl and healed her. “It was all the idols that saved you!” - they tried to convince the saint and brought her to the temple so that she would bow to them. But as soon as Paraskeva was inside, all the idols crumbled to dust as one. Aetius and his minions were seriously frightened and ordered the girl’s head to be cut off - just to be sure. The Lord took pity on her suffering and took her to the Kingdom of Heaven.

After the martyrdom of Paraskeva, many thought about the faith of God and became Christians. Here and there, churches began to appear - large and small - named in her honor Fridays.

What to pray for and ask Paraskeva Friday

The icon of Paraskeva Friday could often be seen in Christian homes in past centuries. And even now it is not uncommon in the red corner of the home. It is believed that Paraskeva protects the house from the evil eye and gives the family prosperity and peace. The owners of fields and livestock must keep the icon - it is their patroness and bestows fertility. On her memorial day, November 10, they bring the harvest to the temple and consecrate it. The fruits are left until next year.

Well, first of all, Paraskeva is considered to be a “woman’s intercessor.” She herself chose the best groom for herself - Christ himself, and therefore she wants every girl to find a worthy companion. There is even a special prayer (you can find it in prayer books) that is read by women who dream of marriage. They say that if you do it with faith and an open heart, Paraskeva will certainly give you a good husband.

Prayer to Paraskeva Friday

"O holy and blessed martyr of Christ Paraskeva, maiden beauty, praise of the martyrs, purity of image, magnanimous mirrors, wonder of the wise, guardian of the Christian faith, idolatry flattery to the accuser, champion of the Divine Gospel, zealot of the Lord's commandments, worthy to come to the haven of eternal rest and to the chambers of the Bridegroom of your Christ God, brightly rejoicing, adorned with the deep crown of virginity and martyrdom! We pray to you, holy martyr, be sorrowful for us to Christ God, and through His most blessed sight may we ever rejoice; pray to the All-Merciful One, who opened the eyes of the blind with a word, that He may deliver us from the disease of our eyes , physical and spiritual together; with your holy prayers, kindle the dark darkness that has come from our sins, ask the Father of Light for the light of grace in our spiritual and physical eyes; enlighten us, darkened by sins, with the light of God’s grace, so that for the sake of your holy prayers sweet vision will be given to the dishonest. great servant of God! O most courageous virgin! O strong martyr Saint Paraskeva! With your holy prayers, be a helper to us sinners, intercede and pray for the damned and extremely negligent sinners, hasten to help us, for we are extremely weak. Pray to the Lord, pure maiden, pray to the Merciful, holy martyr, pray to your Bridegroom, immaculate bride of Christ, so that through your prayers, having escaped the darkness of sin, in the light of the true faith and divine deeds, we will enter into the eternal light of the unevening day, into the city of everlasting joy, in now you shine brightly with glory and endless joy, glorifying and singing with all the Heavenly Powers the Trisagion of the One Divinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".

Prayer to Saint Paraskeva for marriage

“Holy bride of Christ, long-suffering martyr Paraskeva! We know that from your youth you loved with all your soul and with all your heart the King of glory, Christ the Savior, and you were ignorant of Him alone, having distributed your property to the poor and the poor. You are the power of your piety, your chastity and you shone with righteousness, like the rays of the sun, living holy among the infidels and fearlessly preaching to them Christ God. From the days of your youth, taught by your parents, you always reverently honored the days of the redemptive passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, for His sake you yourself voluntarily suffered ". You, by the right hand of the angel of God, wonderfully healed from inhealable wounds and having received indescribable lightness, you amazed the unfaithful tormentors. You, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of your prayer in the pagan temple, having cast down all the idols, you crushed them to dust. You, scorched by the lights , with your single prayer to the omnipotent Lord you extinguished the natural fire, and with the same flame, miraculously kindled through the angel of God, having burned the frantic lawless people, you led many people to the knowledge of the true God. You, for the glory of the Lord, having accepted the sword beheading of your head from the tormentors, you valiantly ended your suffering feat, ascending with your soul into heaven, into the palace of your longed-for Bridegroom, Christ the King of Glory, who joyfully greeted you with this heavenly voice: “Rejoice, ye righteous, like the martyr Paraskeva crowned!" In the same way, today we greet you, long-suffering one, and, looking at your holy icon, we cry out to you with tenderness: all-honorable Paraskeva! We know that you have great boldness towards the Lord: pray therefore to His Lover of Mankind and for us who are present and praying, that He may grant us, like you, patience and complacency in troubles and sorrowful circumstances; May He, through your intercession and intercession, grant a joyful, prosperous and peaceful life, health and salvation, and good haste in everything to our beloved Fatherland, may He bestow His holy blessing and peace, and may He grant all Orthodox Christians, through your holy prayers, confirmation in the faith , piety and holiness, and success in Christian love and all virtue: may He cleanse us sinners from all filth and vice, may He protect us with His holy angels, may He intercede, preserve and have mercy on everyone with His holy grace and make us heirs and partakers of His Heavenly Kingdom. And thus, having improved salvation through your holy prayers, intercession and intercession, all-glorious bride of Christ Paraskeva, let us glorify all the most pure and magnificent name of the true God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in our saints, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen."