One day the Savior passed through the land of Samaria, preaching the Gospel. To rest and recuperate, He stopped near the town of Sychar. At the same time, a Samaritan woman approached the well for water. Her name was Photinia.
Christ asked her for water, to which Photinia, amazed, asked how He, being a Jew, asked for water from a Samaritan woman, because Jews and Samaritans did not communicate in those days. The Savior answered her: “If you knew the gift of God and Who says to you: Give Me a drink, then you yourself would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” Photinia did not immediately understand Him, but Christ said to her: “Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never thirst; But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.”
In his words, the Lord meant Himself and His teaching by “living water,” but Photinia decided that we were talking about fresh running water. At the same time, Jesus Christ told her about her life filled with sin, and the woman recognized Him as the Great Prophet and Teacher. She began to ask Him: who worships God correctly: the Samaritans or the Jews? To which Jesus answered her: “The time will come and has already come when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is looking for such worshipers for Himself. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. The woman says to Him: I know that the Messiah will come, that is, Christ; when He comes, He will tell us everything. Jesus says to her, “It is I who speak to you.” After this conversation, Saint Photinia rushed to the city, where she told many about her meeting with Christ. Together with her, many more Samaritans believed in Him.
Thus Saint Photinia became one of Christ’s devoted disciples, who preached the Gospel in many corners of the world.
A personal icon is given to each person during the sacrament of Baptism. Orthodox women named Svetlana (Photinia in the Greek version) have three heavenly patrons.
Photinia Samaritan
The first of the holy wives lived during the earthly journey of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells about her meeting with the Savior.
Conversion
One day, while walking through the area where the Samaritan people lived, Jesus met a woman named Photinia at Jacob’s well. The Son of God asked her for water, which surprised the young Samaritan woman, because the Jews were at enmity with her people. In response to the woman’s doubt, Jesus told her about the Christian Faith, her past life, and her sins.
Photinia Samaritan
Believing in the divine essence of the stranger she met, Photinia returned to her city. Many townspeople, having heard her story about Jesus, accepted the true faith and followed the Savior.
Trials and Temptations
Fervently believing in the true Lord, Photinia set out to bring His Word to the pagans inhabiting North Africa. She had no doubts or fear of the persecutors of Christians.
After the martyrdom of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul, the Lord appeared to the righteous woman and ordered her to go to Rome to preach the Christian faith to the main persecutor of Christians - Emperor Nero. Photinia and her five spiritual sisters arrived in the capital of the empire and were captured.
The wicked ruler ordered the preachers to be deprived of their hands. But by the will of the Lord, all attempts by the guards to carry out the imperial order were unsuccessful. The wounds left by swords on the women’s bodies immediately disappeared, and the pain from them was felt by the executioners themselves.
When cruelty failed, Nero decided to undermine the faith of Christian women with the temptation of wealth, idleness and physical indolence. They were settled in a palace, where for 40 days a hundred slaves, led by the imperial daughter, served them. But after this period, the emperor saw that all the Roman women accepted the Faith of Christ.
Torture and martyrdom
Angry, the emperor ordered the living women to be skinned and then thrown into a deep, dry well. A few days later, the tormentor saw that by the Grace of the Lord all the wounds of the righteous woman were healed and her spirit was not broken.
Holy Martyr Photinia the Samaritan
Photinia spent 20 days in prison, where in prayer she asked the Almighty to strengthen her body and spirit. Once again, Nero called the martyr to the palace and insisted on her renunciation of Christian teaching. In response to the emperor’s admonitions, Photinia laughed and spat in his face. The Christian woman was again thrown into the well, where she ended her earthly journey.
Description of the icon
The iconographic image of the holy martyr Photinia, the oldest of which appeared in the 19th century, has two common iconographic versions:
- The single icon depicts the half-length figure of Saint Svetlana, who holds a cross in her right hand and clutches a scroll with the words of prayer in her left palm. She is dressed in a red cloak and white maforia.
- The two-figure composition is an illustration of the Gospel story about the meeting of the future martyr and the Savior at a well near the city of Sarmatia. In the foreground is a woman holding a vessel and Jesus Christ, whose right hand is raised in a blessing gesture. There is a well between them. The city walls are visible in the background.
The meaning of the holy image
The icon of the holy martyr Photinia reminds all people who profess Christianity that faith in the Power of the Lord and fortitude are capable of working real miracles. The holy woman proved that people who lead a righteous lifestyle according to the commandments of the Lord should not be afraid to begin even the most difficult undertakings. Through sincere Faith and prayer, they will be provided with divine help and support.
Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman
What does it help with?
By praying before the icon of the Samaritan martyr, believers receive help in the following:
- in strengthening the spirit and faith;
- in overcoming sinful temptations;
- in restoring and strengthening mental and physical health;
- in maintaining family relationships;
- in finding mutual understanding between generations;
- in protection from evil thoughts and actions.
Photinia Palestine
The second heavenly patroness of Svetlana is the holy venerable Photinia, who lived in the 5th century.
Story
One day a virgin, born in Caesarea in Palestine, was sailing on a ship on the sea. In the ensuing storm, the ship and all passengers, except Photinia, were killed. The maiden holding onto the board was carried by the current to the island on which blessed Martinian lived in asceticism. Having learned about the basics of Christian teaching, the girl converted to Christianity and remained on the rocky island to continue the ascetic lifestyle of her spiritual mentor. The blessed man himself threw himself into the sea and reached land on dolphins.
Venerable Photinia of Palestine
For six years the righteous virgin labored on a lonely island in prayer and fasting, communicating only with the shipowner three times a year, delivering food to her.
The relics of the holy righteous Photinia, who died on the island, were taken to Caesarea.
Meaning and help with prayer
The icon of righteous Photinia of Palestine is placed in the ship iconostasis of Christian ships, as she is considered the patroness of seafarers.
She is prayed to in the following situations:
- the emergence of mental doubts and torment;
- for physical ailments;
- the need for instruction in the Christian faith.
Photinia Cyprus
After 1000 years, the ascetic feat of a virgin from Palestine was repeated by her namesake from the island of Cyprus.
Story
Born into a Christian family who lived according to the word of the Lord, the young woman Photinia decided to devote herself to serving Christ. She left her father's house for a remote cave, where she spent time in prayer and fasting.
Venerable Photinia (Svetlana) of Cyprus
The All-Seeing Lord noted the ascetic feat of the virgin and sent down His grace on her. Having received God's blessing, Photinia performed many miraculous healings. The fame of the pious hermit spread far beyond the borders of Cyprus, and people in need of spiritual guidance and advice began to come to her.
Note! Today the relics of righteous Photinia of Cyprus rest in the temple dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. And in the cave where the holy virgin labored, divine services are held and there is a healing spring that heals eye ailments.
As a rule, the holy primate whose day of veneration is closest to the day of receiving the sacrament of baptism is chosen as the heavenly patron. The icon of Saint Photinia, whose story will touch the soul of a woman named Svetlana, will become for her an example of piety and the power of faith, allowing her to know the grace of God.
Life and exploits of St. much Photinia (Svetlana)
Not all bearers of the beautiful Russian name Svetlana know that they have as many as three heavenly patrons who bore this name, only in the Greek version - Photinia. In Orthodoxy, the icon of Photinia is revered along with the icons of other great martyrs and ascetics who proved in word and deed their loyalty to Christ and his teaching.
St. Photinia the Samaritan
We learn about this woman from the Gospel of John, which describes such a seemingly insignificant episode from the earthly life of Jesus.
You need to know that the Jews, to whom Jesus belonged, and the Samaritans were extremely hostile to each other, and communication between them was completely excluded. That is why the young woman (and it was Photinia), who approached the well, was extremely surprised when Jesus turned to her with a request for a drink. John the Evangelist describes it this way:
The Samaritan woman said to Him: How can You, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink? for Jews do not communicate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her: if you knew the gift of God and Who says to you: Give Me a drink, then you yourself would ask Him, and He would give you living water
Imagine the shock of Photinia when He told her about all her sins (and there were many of them), and preached His teaching to her. This convinced Photinia that the Savior was before her, and, returning to Samaria, she proclaimed this good news, after which many Samaritans believed that the Messiah had finally appeared and became his followers.
This meeting completely turned Photinia’s life upside down. She went to Carthage in northern Africa and became a selfless preacher of the teachings of Christ, without fear of persecution from the pagans.
Miracle of Photinia in Rome
In Rome, which conquered Judea and imposed its own rules there, Emperor Nero reigned at that time, mercilessly persecuting adherents of the True Faith. When the apostles Paul and Peter were executed, Jesus, having returned to His Heavenly Father, appeared to Photinia in a dream and ordered him to go to Rome, to Nero himself, and preach the Word of God there.
In carrying out this mission, Photinia was accompanied by five more sisters. The ascetics were immediately captured, and Nero ordered their hands to be cut off. But the Lord protected his faithful children: no matter how much the guards tried to carry out the cruel order, every blow was reflected on themselves, and the wounds that they still managed to inflict immediately disappeared.
Then Nero, knowing about the asceticism of Christians, decided to change tactics and prepared a real temptation for the ascetics. They were settled in a palace, served by a hundred slaves, and fed with exquisite dishes. Next to them was Domina, daughter of Nero. When the emperor came after 40 days to see if the women had renounced their faith, he discovered that all the slaves and his daughter had converted to the Christian faith.
Martyrdom of Photinia
By order of the angry Nero, Photinia and her associates were skinned alive and thrown into a dry well. A few days later, when Photinia was taken out of there, her wounds healed under the care of the Lord, to whom she continually prayed, and she was still strong in her faith. Then they threw her into prison, and when 20 days later they brought her to Nero and he again demanded that she bow before the pagan idols, she simply spat in his face. Then the martyr was again thrown into the well, where she died. Subsequently, her relics were transported to Crete, to a nunnery bearing her name.
How does the icon of Photinia help?
For those who are not firm in their faith and need to be strengthened, the icon “St. Photinia” will become a spiritual support and will help overcome sinful temptations. In Rus' it was sometimes called the “Saint Svetlana” icon. In Orthodoxy, the icon of Photinia is considered a talisman of mental and physical health, family and mutual understanding between its different generations. They pray to the icon of the Great Martyr Svetlana for healing from fever, skin diseases, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and cases of such miraculous healings are indeed known.
St. Photinia of Palestine
Another Christian ascetic named Photinia, who lived in the 5th century, was from Caesarea in Palestine. One day, the ship she was sailing on was wrecked during a storm. Photinia was the only one who managed to escape by clinging to the board.
She was thrown onto a rocky island, where Blessed Martinian led a hermit’s life of fasting and prayer. He saw God's providence in the salvation of Photinia, began to preach the teachings of Christ to her and converted her to the true faith, after which he left the island. Photinia decided to stay and continue the ascetic feat of the hermit. Three times a year food was delivered to her by ship, but she continued to fast and pray. When the ascetic died six years later, her ashes were transported to her native Caesarea and buried there.
If we touch on the meaning, then the icon “Photinia of Palestine” is considered the patroness of sailors; it helps in gaining faith, strengthening mental and physical health.
A thousand years later, in the 15th century, the feat of Photinia of Palestine was repeated by Photinia of Cyprus. Coming from a pious family, she already in her youth decided to devote her life to serving Christ and become a hermit. Living in a cave, she devoted herself to fasting and prayers. For her ascetic lifestyle, God's grace descended on her, and Photinia acquired the ability to miraculously perform healings.
Soon, these miraculous healings became known not only in Cyprus, but also beyond its borders. People began to flock to Photinia to receive advice and guidance from her, to maintain spiritual strength and strengthen their faith. Her relics are currently in the Church of the Apostle Andrew.
If you have a relative or friend named Svetlana, then the best gift for her will be the icon “Svetlana (Photinia)”. Such an icon for Svetlana will become a protector, a talisman, and an example of the power of faith. It doesn’t matter which of the three saints the “Svetlana” icon will be, the main thing is that it is there, and the bearer of this name knows about the feat of her three patronesses.
Svetlana celebrates her name day three times a year, on the day of remembrance of each of the saints:
- St. Photinia the Samaritan – April 2
- St. Photinia of Palestine – February 26
- St. Photinia of Cyprus – August 2
Prayer to the Holy Martyr Photinia
Saint Photina (Svetlana) lived in the Samaritan city of Sychar. While doing household chores, she often went to fetch water from the well, which was located a twenty-minute walk from her house. According to legend, the spring was built by Jacob, the son of Isaac. So this time she went there to fill the jug. She noticed a man near the well. He was a Jew. At that time, Jews and Samaritans were at enmity; they showed open hatred towards each other. Therefore, Photina, trying not to pay attention to the traveler, quickly scooped up the water and turned to go back. Suddenly, in the silence of the midday heat, the voice of a stranger was heard, asking for something to drink. She stopped and asked in surprise: “How do you, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” In response, she heard: “If you knew the gift of God and Who says to you: Give Me a drink, then you yourself would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” Looking at her blank face, the man continued: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst; But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.”Oh, Holy Martyr Photino. Immensely inspired by love for Christ, you have shown courage, patience and great strength with your sisters, sons and those enlightened by you. She preached the Gospel of Christ with boldness, and Christ appeared to you and everyone who was with you, and to everyone in the futuretorment strengthened and comforted. Having come to Rome and fearlessly confessing Christ, you were imprisoned and endured much torment, thrown into a well, and betrayed your soul to the Lord. Hear us, Saint Photino, who shone forth with spiritual beauty and unceasingly and incessantly among people, in prison and in cities, to faith in Christlecturing. Hear us, looking at us sinners and with the grace of Christ heal those who are sick with fever, so that the rain of sin will not sprinkle them, but in mental and physical health they will spend their lives without weakening in good deeds and glorify the Lord of all, the Father of bounties, the Merciful God, throughout all ages. Amen.
Finding Faith
In the conversation, the stranger pointed out to Saint Photina the circumstances of her life that no one knew about. She thought that she saw a prophet in front of her. But having heard the words that the time was coming when “neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem will they worship the Father,” the woman timidly suggested: “I know that the Messiah will come, that is, Christ; when He comes, He will tell us everything.” The man looked into her eyes and said: “It is I who speak to you.”
She believed it at that very moment. Leaving the jug, she ran into the city with a joyful heart and told everyone that Christ had come. Already, together with other Samaritans, she returned to the well. The people listened to Jesus and did not want to leave. They asked the Lord to stay with them longer, and he spent two days in Sychari. From this time on, a different life began for Saint Photina. Now, with her faith, she awakened in people the desire to drink living water and revealed true faith to them.
Holy preachers
More than thirty years have passed. All these years Saint Photina preached Christianity. She and her youngest son Josiah lived in Carthage, and the eldest, Victor, served in the Roman troops. As a good warrior, he was appointed commander of the city of Attalia. Arriving there, he met with the ruler Sebastian. He warned Victor that he knew about his Christian beliefs. “Our Emperor Nero demands that we destroy all Christians,” the ruler continued, “and you will have to interrogate and torture them.” Sebastian wanted to persuade the young man to carry out the will of the emperor in order to gain wealth and power, and for a calm service, Victor’s mother had to stop openly preaching Christianity. Saint Victor declared that he would not participate in crimes; moreover, he himself would become a preacher. In his hearts, Sevastian exclaimed that great troubles awaited their entire family. At that same moment, a burning pain pierced his eyes, he fell and was speechless. A few days later a dramatic change occurred in him, he believed in Christ, and after baptism the mayor regained health.
One day it was reported to Emperor Nero that the city mayor of Attalia and the military commander, along with his entire family, were Christians. An order immediately followed to arrest everyone and take them to Rome.
Give your life for Christ
At this time, in Carthage, Jesus appeared to Saint Photina and said that suffering awaited her in Rome, which would become a feat not only for her alone, but also for all her loved ones. The next day, the woman, accompanied by her youngest son and her sisters: Anatolia, Fota, Fotida, Paraskeva and Kyriakia, got ready for the journey.
“I came to teach you to honor Christ,” she answered Nero, who was very surprised that the woman came herself. He invited her to renounce Christ. Her refusal did not anger him, but rather made him happy. The despot took pleasure in watching people suffer.
The sisters, Josiah and Victor, who also came from Attalia with Sebastian, confirmed their desire to die for Christ. Saint Photina was the first to be tortured. No matter what the executioners did, she remained unharmed. The same thing happened to other Christians. Nero ordered the men to be sent to prison and the women to his daughter Domnina. She had a hundred slaves. Everyone, including Domnina herself, under the influence of Saint Photina, accepted Christianity three years later. Upon learning of this, Nero became furious. He ordered the torture of Saint Photina, her sisters, sons and Sebastian, and then executed them.
What a miracle happened
Many people, through the efforts of Saint Photina, gain faith. Emperor Nero tried to break the woman and force her to renounce Christ, but the Lord supported the martyr. She bravely endured all the suffering. The terrible wounds instantly disappeared from her body, and she remained unharmed.
Meaning of the icon
Having met Christ, Saint Photina hastened to tell other people about his coming. For the rest of her life, she shared the knowledge that the Lord filled her soul with and was not afraid of anything. The icon of the holy martyr reminds us that we should not remain indifferent. Saint Photina, fearing persecution, could have confessed in secret, but she brought light to people. Not sinning is not enough; the icon teaches us to do good and share knowledge with other people.
Venerable Photinia (Svetlana) of Palestine.
At sea during a storm, the ship was driven onto rocks and smashed into pieces. None of the passengers escaped, except for one girl, who managed to grab a board and swam to the rock where blessed Martinian labored. He helped Svetlana (that was the girl’s name) climb the rock. He told her about his life on the rock, about the shipman’s visits to it three times a year, blessed the maiden, left her bread and water, and threw himself into the sea. Dolphins helped him reach land.
Svetlana was left alone to perform her feat in the name of the Lord. After some time, the shipman arrived, brought bread and water to Martinian, and found a woman on the rock. Svetlana told everything to the shipbuilder; she refused the shipbuilder’s offer to transport her to the city, but asked him to arrive with his wife and bring her men’s clothing and wool for needlework.
The shipbuilder fulfilled her request, and Svetlana continued her ascetic life. She lived in the open air both day and night, in heat and cold, and praised the Lord for her life.
Every day she offered twelve prayers to God, and every night she stood in prayer twenty-four times. A pound of bread provided her with food for two days.
After six years of ascetic life on the island, Svetlana died. Already two months after her death, when the shipman and his wife arrived in due time, they found blessed Svetlana dead forever. Saint Svetlana was buried in the city of Caesarea in Palestine.
The life of Svetlana is inextricably linked with the life of Saints Martinian and Zoe
From the age of 18, the Monk Martinian settled in the desert, near the city of Caesarea in Palestine, where he remained in ascetic labors and silence for 25 years, receiving the grace-filled gift of healing diseases. However, the enemy did not leave the hermit, bringing various temptations upon him. One day a harlot woman bet with depraved people that she would seduce Saint Martinian, the fame of whose virtuous life spread throughout the city. She came to him at night under the guise of a wanderer, asking for a place to stay for the night. The saint let her in because the weather was stormy. But the crafty guest changed into expensive clothes and began to seduce the ascetic. Then the saint left his cell, lit a fire and stood barefoot on the burning coals. At the same time, he said to himself: “It is difficult for you, Martinian, to endure this temporary fire, how will you endure the eternal fire prepared for you by the devil?” The woman, struck by this spectacle, repented and asked the saint to guide her on the path of salvation. On his instructions, she went to Bethlehem, to the monastery of St. Paul, where she lived in strict labors for 12 years until her blessed death. The woman's name was Zoya.
Having been healed of his burns, Saint Martinian withdrew to an uninhabited rocky island and lived in the open air for several years, eating food that a shipowner brought him from time to time, and the monk wove baskets for him.
Once, during a strong storm, a ship crashed and to the island where Saint Martinian was fleeing, the waves brought a maiden named Photinia on the wreckage of the ship. Saint Martinian helped her get to the island. “Stay here,” he told her, “here is bread and water, and in two months the shipman will arrive,” and he rushed into the sea and swam. Two dolphins carried him to land. From then on, Blessed Martinian began to lead the life of a wanderer. This went on for two years. One day, having come to Athens, the saint fell ill and, feeling the approach of death, entered the temple, lay down on the floor, called the bishop and asked for his body to be buried. This happened around 422.
The blessed maiden Photinia remained to live on the island, where she spent 6 years in solitude, and then gave her soul to God. Her death was discovered by the same shipman, who brought her, like the Monk Martinian, food. He transported the body of Blessed Photinia to Caesarea in Palestine, where it was buried with honor by the bishop and clergy. The memory of Saints Zoya and Photinia is celebrated on the same day.
Troparion to Venerable Photinia (Svetlana) of Palestine
In you, mother, it is known that you were saved in the image: having accepted the cross, you followed Christ, and in action you taught to despise the flesh: for it passes away, but be careful about the souls, things that are immortal. In the same way, the venerable mother Svetlana, your spirit will rejoice with Angela.
Greatness
We bless you, reverend mother Svetlana, and honor your holy memory: you pray for us to Christ our God.
