Svetlana's birthday. The day of the angel of Svetlana according to the church calendar Photinia is the day of the angel on November 16

Slavic name "bright and fine" or from "light + la" (soul) i.e. "light soul". The name was invented and first used by Vostokov in the romance "Svetlana and Mstislav" (1802). The name gained wide popularity after the publication by the poet Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky of his ballad "Svetlana".

Derivatives: Sveta, Svetlanka, Svetlanochka, Svetulya, Svetunya, Svetusya, Svetusha, Lana, Svetik, Svetachka, Svetka, Svetochka, Svetusik.

Name day:
February 26 - Reverend Svetlana (Photinia).
April 2 - Martyr Svetlana (Fotina) Samaritan.
November 16 - Martyr Svetlana (Photinia).

The Orthodox Church baptizes all Svetlanas with the name of Photinia or the name of Photina in honor of the Monk Photinia. Usually the name Svetlana is shortened in Russia to "Light". Abbreviated to "Lana" in Western Europe and English-speaking countries. The name Svetlana is one of the most beautiful and popular names in Slavic countries.

Saint Photina She was a Samaritan by birth, a wife at first of a disorderly life and superstitious, and later a holy ascetic and preacher of the true faith. She was the same wife with whom Jesus Christ talked with the student Jacob. She had two sons Victor, renamed Fotin and Josiah, and five sisters: Anatolia, Photo, Fotida, Paraskeva and Kiriakia. With her youngest son, she preached the gospel at Carthage in Africa; the elder was a governor in Italy and there was a chance to strengthen the leader in the faith of Sebastian. Her eldest son Victor bravely fought in the Roman troops against the barbarians and for his services was appointed commander in the city of Attalia.

The Gospel tells us how one day the Lord Jesus Christ came to the city of Samaria called Sychar, where there was a well given by Jacob to his son Joseph and his descendants. Tired from the journey, the Lord providentially sat down to rest by the well while His disciples went to the city to buy food. At this time, a certain woman came from the city for water. The Lord asked her to give Him something to drink. The woman was surprised at the request, because. The Jews never interacted with the Samaritans. Jesus said to her: if you knew Who is talking to you, you yourself would ask Him to drink and He would give you living water. The Samaritan woman was even more surprised, how could Jesus give living water, without even drawing it?

Then the Lord, knowing that the Samaritan woman, although cohabiting secretly in sin, had an ardent faith in God and a firm expectation of the coming of the Messiah, gradually revealed to her that He, speaking to her, is the expected Christ. Then the Samaritan woman, in joy, threw her jug and ran into the city to invite her fellow citizens to come to Christ, and according to her testimony, many Samaritans then believed in Him.

The blessed Samaritan woman herself, who was worthy to converse with the Lord, suffered for Christ, together with her sons and sisters, during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Nero. This fierce persecution continued from the year 65 to the year 68, and during it the holy apostles Peter and Paul suffered in Rome, and the tormentors then began to search for all their followers. At that time, Saint Photina lived in the city of Carthage (now the city of Tunisia), where she fearlessly preached the Gospel with her youngest son Josiah, and her eldest son Victor was in the Roman army that fought against the barbarians. After the war, Victor was appointed commander of the troops in the city of Attalia, where he led many to Christ, including the ruler of the city, Sebastian.

When Nero was informed that in Attalia Victor and Sebastian professed the faith of Peter and Paul and planted Christianity there, and that Photina and Josiah, sent there by the holy apostles, were doing the same in Carthage, Nero became very angry and called everyone to court in Rome. Photina came to Rome accompanied by many Christians, including her five sisters - Anastasia, Photo, Photis, Paraskeva and Kyriakia; all of them were expecting martyrdom, which was announced in advance by the appearance of Christ Himself to them. By order of Nero, they were all subjected to cruel torment, especially Saint Photina, but by the grace of God they did not feel any pain and remained unharmed. Then Nero, not knowing what else to do with them, ordered Victor, Josiah and Sebastian to be blinded and thrown into prison along with Photina and her sisters.

Nero, learning about this, became very angry and called Photina to him, ordering her to be skinned and thrown into the well. Then he ordered her five sisters to be brought in and skinned from them too, and after that he ordered all the martyrs to cut off their heads. Saint Photina was taken out of the well and tortured for a long time, persuading her to sacrifice to idols, but Photina spat in the face of the emperor and laughed at him, for which she was again thrown into the well, where she gave her soul to God.

2.04.2013

Name day at Svetlana

Today, April 2, my wife Svetlana has a “small name day”. She celebrates her Angel Day on November 16, since she was honored to be born on October 4. Understanding how name days differ from birthdays, it is easy to understand the difference in how they should be celebrated. Angel Day has a deep spiritual meaning, because it is the day of remembrance of your patron saint.

As the holy righteous John of Kronstadt taught, we remember our saints so that they too “remembered and interceded for us before God ... Our birthdays and name days should be predominantly before all other weekdays, turn our hearts and our eyes to heaven, with grateful feelings for the Creator, Provider and Savior, with the thought that our fatherland is there and Father, that the earth is not a fatherland, but a place of alienation and wandering, that it is reckless, sinful to cling to corruptible things ... ungodly, that one must cling to God with all one's heart.

On the day of the name day, Orthodox people always come to the temple, confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. And they are preparing for it in advance.

Of course, there are no obstacles to arrange a festive meal on the day of the Angel in the circle of the closest people. But it should be a quiet celebration, calm fellowship, filled with spiritual joy. By the way, if your name day falls on Lenten time, then the table should be Lenten. And in Great Lent, the celebration of the name day is transferred from weekdays to the next Saturday or Sunday.

I must say that the tradition of celebrating name days, of course, was already in pre-revolutionary Russia, and in ancient Russia, and in any Christian country. But for many years of unbelief, she was forgotten. Returning to churches, accepting Baptism, again turning to the commemoration of the saints, we are restoring the tradition of celebrating name days. This means that we have many opportunities, but we also have a great responsibility: after all, the way we get used to behaving on this day, what we teach our children to, will be fixed in the next generations.

Therefore, as our spiritual mentors advise, every time we must fill this holiday with quiet, bright joy. It is better to prepare for it in advance - buy gifts, choose a festive outfit, and, most importantly, prepare for Communion.

One day I asked a priest: “What can be given to please the birthday man, and at the same time nourish his soul?”

The answer was simple and clear. “For this, it is better to go to the icon shop. There, consulting and looking around, choose a gift according to the occasion, your taste and wealth. The first thing that comes to mind is the name icon. But there are other options as well. For example, vessels for holy water, shelves for icons, beautiful candles of various shapes. And, of course, it will be very interesting for the birthday boy to read a good book of spiritual content, watch an Orthodox film, listen to church music ...

If we are talking about children's name days, then the icon will still be the best gift. Moreover, if funds allow, you can order it from icon painters. The cover and blessing of the patron saint, and at the same time the blessing of the parents - this is what such an icon will become for your heir.

And yet, I heard that in recent years, one custom that has existed since ancient times in Russia is increasingly remembered - to make a “measured” icon for a child. So you chose a name for your baby, and measured his height. For example, Svetlana was born to you, fifty-one centimeters tall. According to this "measurement" you order an icon - the martyr Photinia, an icon fifty-one centimeters high. Such a wonderful gift is obtained by the day of christening!

I want to repeat moments of joy again and again, and this tradition will easily enter our lives.

"Small Name Day" is also a special day in the life of a Christian. It is not so solemn, a holiday here is unlikely to be appropriate, but it is also necessary to visit the temple on this day.

SVETLANA(PHOTINIA, PHOTINA, FATINA, FITINYA, KHOTYNA).

Slavic name “bright and fine; bright soul" combination light + Lana. The female version of the Russian male name Svetlan, from the word "svetl". In Greek, the name Photina corresponds to it. The name was invented and first used by Vostokov in the romance "Svetlana and Mstislav" (1802). The name gained wide popularity after the publication by the poet Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky of his ballad "Svetlana".

Derivatives: Sveta, buy propecia online Svetonka, Svetochka, Candle, Svetik, Svetachka, Svetulya, Svetlanka, Svetlanochka, Svetunya, Svetusya, Svetusha, Veta, Lana, Svetka, Svetusik.

Name day:
February 26 - Rev. Svetlana (Photinia).
April 2–Martyr Svetlana (Fotina) Samaritan.
November 16 - Martyr Svetlana (Photinia).

Saint Photina was a Samaritan by birth, a wife at first of a disorderly life and superstitious, and later a holy ascetic and preacher of the true faith. She was the same wife with whom Jesus Christ talked with the student Jacob. She had two sons Victor, renamed Fotin and Josiah, and five sisters: Anatolia, Photo, Fotida, Paraskeva and Kiriakia.

The Gospel tells us how the Lord Jesus Christ once came to the city of Samaria, called Sychar, where there was a well given by Jacob to his son Joseph and his descendants. Tired from the journey, the Lord providentially sat down to rest by the well while His disciples went to the city to buy food. At this time, a certain woman came from the city for water. The Lord asked her to give Him something to drink. The woman was surprised at the request, because. The Jews never interacted with the Samaritans. Jesus said to her: if you knew Who is talking to you, you yourself would ask Him for a drink, and He would give you living water. The Samaritan woman was even more surprised, how could Jesus give living water, without even drawing it?

The Lord answered her that those who drink water from the well will thirst again, and the water that He will give will become a fountain of eternal life. By living water the Lord meant His life-giving teaching, which leads to eternal bliss in the Kingdom of God.
Then the Lord, knowing that the Samaritan woman, although cohabiting secretly in sin, had an ardent faith in God and a firm expectation of the coming of the Messiah, gradually revealed to her that He, speaking to her, is the expected Christ. Then the Samaritan woman, in joy, threw her jug and ran into the city to invite her fellow citizens to come to Christ, and according to her testimony, many Samaritans then believed in Him.
The blessed Samaritan woman herself, who was worthy to converse with the Lord, suffered for Christ, together with her sons and sisters, during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Nero. This fierce persecution continued from the year 65 to the year 68, and during it the holy apostles Peter and Paul suffered in Rome, and the tormentors then began to search for all their followers. At that time, Saint Photina lived in the city of Carthage (now the city of Tunisia), where she fearlessly preached the Gospel with her youngest son Josiah, and her eldest son Victor was in the Roman army that fought against the barbarians. After the war, Victor was appointed commander of the troops in the city of Attalia, where he led many to Christ, including the ruler of the city, Sebastian.
When Nero was informed that in Attalia Victor and Sebastian professed the faith of Peter and Paul and planted Christianity there, and that Photina and Josiah, sent there by the holy apostles, were doing the same in Carthage, Nero became very angry and called everyone to court in Rome. Photina came to Rome accompanied by many Christians, including her five sisters - Anastasia, Photo, Photis, Paraskeva and Kyriakia; all of them were expecting martyrdom, which was announced in advance by the appearance of Christ Himself to them. By order of Nero, they were all subjected to cruel torment, especially Saint Photina, but by the grace of God they did not feel any pain and remained unharmed. Then Nero, not knowing what else to do with them, ordered Victor, Josiah and Sebastian to be blinded and thrown into prison, and Photina and her five sisters were sent under supervision to Nero's daughter Domnina. Fotina converted Domnina and all her slaves to Christ.

The holy martyrs stayed in prison for three years. One day, Nero remembered them and sent his servants to check on them. Returning from the dungeon, the servants informed the emperor that the blinded Galileans see and are completely healthy, that the dungeon itself is bright, filled with abundant fragrance, and from the place of imprisonment has become a place for glorifying God and a holy house, that many people gather to the saints and receive baptism from them. Hearing all this, Nero was horrified and furious, and ordered the holy men to be crucified upside down and beat with belts until their bodies disintegrated, which was done, and then left to hang for three days. On the fourth day, servants sent by the emperor came to see if the martyrs were still alive, and when they saw them still alive, they immediately became blind. At this time, an angel of God came down from heaven, loosened the saints and made them completely healthy. Then the saints prayed over the blinded royal servants, and they received their sight. Having believed, they were baptized and became followers of the holy martyrs.
Nero, learning about this, became very angry and called Photina to him, ordering her to be skinned and thrown into the well. Then he ordered her five sisters to be brought in and skinned from them too, and after that he ordered all the martyrs to cut off their heads. Saint Photina was taken out of the well and tortured for a long time, persuading her to sacrifice to idols, but Photina spat in the face of the emperor and laughed at him, for which she was again thrown into the well, where she gave her soul to God.

The memory of the Holy Martyr Photina (Svetlana) of the Samaritans is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on March 20/April 2. She is prayed for with various ailments and with fever.

In addition to the history of the name Svetlana, many will not be interested in knowing its interpretation.

The main features of the interpretation of the name: lightness, activity, susceptibility.

Zodiac and horoscope of the name: Aquarius.

Planet: Neptune.

name color: blue.

Stone, talisman: rhinestone.

Favorable plant: tree, lily.

Name patron: white hare.

Happy day: Saturday.

Lucky season: winter.

Name interpretation

Svetochka is a very inquisitive child, explores every corner in the apartment, discovers new objects with delight. She grows up as a sociable, cheerful child who loves games. She is rather cool about schoolwork, but she has a wonderful memory, a mobile mind, she quickly, easily, although not deeply absorbs information, cheerfully answers in class - there are practically no problems with academic performance. However, Sveta may be especially interested in some subject, then she studies it deeply, thoroughly, and it can subsequently become the basis for her professional activities.

Sveta is fascinated by films about love, she reads a lot, especially books on her favorite subject, she goes to the theater with pleasure, to concerts of her favorite pop singers.

Sveta is a good organizer, the initiator of all activities in the class, she is active, likes to command, and is confident in her right to do so. But there is no trick in her, she does everything sincerely. Svetlana is very receptive - what values are laid down in her by her parents, those will be the main ones for her. But most often she makes herself, independent, hardworking, adapts well to life.

Adult Svetlana is all woven from contradictions: she is kind to people and, like no one knows how to hurt them, She is disinterested, but she will not miss her own, she knows for sure what she needs, she chose the right path, but at the most important moment turned off the right direction.

Svetlana is very careful, since childhood she has been watching her appearance. She is always dressed in fashion, and this does not depend on her financial condition, on the contrary: difficulties activate her imagination, she will sew a breathtaking new one out of two old dresses.

Svetlana is able, if necessary, to drastically change her views, intentions, to retrain, to completely change her profession. Svetlana finds herself in many areas of activity, most often she is a teacher, engineer, doctor, notary, accountant, psychologist, television worker. Svetlana can make a dizzying career.

Svetlana is very attractive, but cautious, she will marry in full confidence in the feelings and material possibilities of the applicant. But her fate does not always work out well, although from time to time opportunities arise.

Svetlana is sociable and sociable, likes to draw attention to herself, likes to please. Life without men seems to her dull, inexpressive.

In the family, Svetlana is a very diligent hostess, she strives to create comfort, makes preparations for the winter. A very caring mother, she considers it necessary to give a good education to her children. In the house, everything is in its place, the husband always has clean shirts, a three-course meal during any crisis. She is faithful to her husband, she is friends with her mother-in-law.

Svetlana is emotional, prone to fun and easy communication. Arguing with Sveta is the same as arguing with the wind, since Lana's emotions always prevail over logic, and it is easier to interest her by addressing her soul.

Saint Photina (Greek Photinia), originally a Samaritan woman, wife at first of a disorderly life and superstitious, and after that - a blessed holy ascetic and preacher of the true faith.

Jesus said to her, "If you knew Who is speaking to you, you yourself would ask Him for a drink, and He would give you living water." The Samaritan woman was even more surprised: how could Jesus give living water, without even drawing it?

The Lord, knowing that the Samaritan woman cohabits with a certain husband secretly, in sin, but has an ardent faith in God and a firm expectation of the coming of the Messiah, gradually revealed to her that He, speaking to her, is the expected Christ.

The Gospel does not tell us the name of the Samaritan woman, but the Tradition of the Church has preserved it, and we call her in Greek Photinia, in Russian Svetlana, in Celtic languages Fiona, in other Western languages Claire. And all these names tell us one thing: the light. Having met the Lord Jesus Christ, she became a light shining in the world, a light that enlightened those who met her.

The blessed Samaritan woman herself, who was honored to converse with the Lord, suffered for Christ along with her sons and sisters during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Nero. This fierce persecution lasted from 65 to 68, and during it the holy apostles Peter and Paul suffered in Rome, and the tormentors then began to search for all their followers. At that time, Saint Photina lived in the city of Carthage (now the city of Tunisia), where she fearlessly preached the Gospel with her youngest son Josiah. Meanwhile, the eldest son of Photina, named Victor, courageously fought in the war that the barbarians were waging with the Romans at that time, and at the end of the war, by order of the emperor, he was appointed commander of the troops in the city of Attalia in order to subject the Christians who were there to torment. When the ruler of the city, Sebastian, found out about this, he said to Victor:

Governor, I know for sure that you are a Christian and that your mother and your brother Josiah are followers of Peter, and therefore you will not fulfill what the emperor commanded you for fear of ruining your soul.

I am burning with the desire to fulfill the will of the heavenly and immortal King, Christ, our God, - Victor answered this, - and I neglect the command of Nero to torture Christians.

Then Sebastian said to Victor:

As a sincere friend, I advise you: obey the will of the emperor. After all, if you begin to fulfill the royal command with due diligence and subject the Christians whom you manage to find to judicial interrogation and torment, then you will do what is pleasing to the emperor and acquire their property for yourself, and inform your mother and brother by letter from yourself so that they do not they went so openly and did not incline the pagans to renounce their fatherly beliefs, but let them secretly confess their faith in Christ your God, if they wish that you, because of them, would not be subjected to the same torments with them.

I will never do this,” Victor answered, “and not only will I not do it, but I don’t even want to think about subjecting Christians to torture or forcibly taking anything from them or advising my mother and brother not to preach that Christ is the true God, but I myself want with all my soul to be a preacher of Christ and I will be him just like they are.

To this Sebastian said to him:

Oh Victor! We all know well what disasters await you, your mother and your brother.

After these words, Sebastian's face suddenly flared up, and he fell to the ground from a sharp and cruel pain in his eyes, and he completely lost the ability to speak. The servants who were at the same time picked him up and laid him on a bed, and he lay for three days without saying a single word. After three days, he cried out with a loud voice and said:

One Christian God is the true God, one Christian faith is the true faith, and one is baptism - baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is no other true faith but the Christian faith.

Entering Sebastian, Victor asked him:

Why did such a change take place in you so suddenly?

Dearest Victor, - answered Sebastian, - your Christ calls me to Himself.

Victor instructed him in the faith, and he received holy baptism. Coming out of the font, he suddenly received his sight and glorified God.

Soon after this, Nero heard a rumor that Victor, the commander of the troops in Attalia and the ruler of this city, Sebastian, professed the faith of Peter and Paul and attracted everyone to him, persuading them to follow their sermons, and also that the same the mother of Victor Fotin and her son Josiah, sent to Carthage by the Apostles, also do. Upon learning of this, the emperor was inflamed with anger and sent soldiers to Attalia so that they would bring to him for judgment the Christians who were in this city, men and women. At this time, Christ appeared to the Christians of Attalia and said to them: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mat. 11:28). I will be with you, and Nero will be defeated, as well as those who are with him.

He said to Victor:

From this day on, Photin will be your name, as many, enlightened by you, will turn to Me.

Christ fortified Sebastian for the coming sufferings with these words:

Blessed is he who accomplishes his feat to the end.

The Lord said these words and ascended into heaven.

Saint Photina was also informed by Christ of the sufferings awaiting her, and immediately, accompanied by many Christians, set off from Carthage to Rome. When she entered Rome, the whole city began to move, and everyone said: “Who is this?” She fearlessly preached the gospel of Christ. Meanwhile, her son Photin, who formerly bore the name of Victor, was also brought to Rome, along with Sebastian and the soldiers taken with them, but Saint Photina warned Victor, before he appeared to Nero with her son Josiah and the Christians who had come with her from Carthage. Nero asked the saint:

Why did you come to us?

In order, - answered Fotina, - to teach you to honor Christ.

At this time, those who were with the emperor said to him:

The mayor Sebastian and governor Victor, who do not believe in gods, came from Attalia.

Let them bring them to me,” Nero commanded. And when they were brought, he asked them:

Is what I heard about you true?

All that you have heard about us, king, they answered, is the true truth.

Then Nero, turning to the holy women, asked them:

Are you willing to deny your Christ, or are you willing to die for Him?

Oh king! - answered the holy women, turning their eyes to heaven, - it will never happen that we renounce faith in Christ and from the love that we have for Him.

What about your names? the emperor asked.

I, - Saint Photina answered, - from Christ, my God, received the name Photina, my sisters are called like this: the first, who was born after me, is Anastasia, the second

Photo, the third - by Photis, the fourth - by Paraskeva, and the fifth - by Kyriakia, and the names of my sons are as follows: the name of the eldest, who was named Fotin by my Lord, is Victor, the younger is Josiah.

So, do you all, - said Nero, - agree to be tortured and die for the Nazirite Christ?

All of us, - Saint Photina answered, - are ready to die for Him with joy and gladness, and we all desire this.

Then the emperor ordered that the hands of the holy martyrs be crushed on an anvil. But during the torture, the confessors did not feel pain, and the hands of the martyr Photinia remained unharmed: the tormentors, who cut her hands with axes, changed many times and, having no success, fell down in exhaustion, like the dead, and the holy martyr, remaining unharmed by the grace of Christ, she prayed and said: “The Lord is for me - I will not be afraid: what will a man do to me?” (Psalm 117:6). After this, Nero began to be at a loss, thinking about how else to subject the saints to torment, and, finally, Nero ordered Saints Sebastian, Photin and Josiah to be blinded and imprisoned, and Saint Photinia with her five sisters - Anastasia, Photo, Photis, Paraskeva and Kyriakia - sent to the imperial palace under the supervision of Nero's daughter Domnina. But Saint Photina converted Domnina and all her slave girls to Christ, who received holy Baptism, and also converted to Christ the sorcerer, to whom he once brought a tincture of poisonous herb to drink to her and her sisters, after which she underwent many torments.

When three years had passed after this, Nero once ordered the release of one of his courtiers, who, at his command, was imprisoned and those sent for this, seeing the holy martyrs Sebastian, Photin and Josiah in a healthy state in prison, informed the emperor that the blinded Galileans see and are completely healthy, that the dungeon itself is bright, filled with abundant fragrance, and from the place of imprisonment has become a place for glorifying God and a holy house, that the saints have great wealth in prison, that people gather to them and, having believed in God them, accepts baptism from them. Hearing this, Nero was horrified and ordered the saints to be crucified upside down and beat them on their naked bodies with straps for three days. On the fourth day, the emperor sent servants to see if the martyrs were alive. But, having arrived at the place of torture, those sent immediately went blind. At this time, the Angel of the Lord freed the martyrs and healed them. The saints took pity on the blinded servants and by their prayers to the Lord restored their sight. Those who received their sight believed in Christ and were soon baptized.

Having believed, they were baptized in the name of Christ our God, and became followers of the saints. The wicked Nero, having learned about this, became very angry and ordered to tear off the skin from Saint Photina. And at the time when the tormentors were fulfilling this royal command, the holy martyr sang: “Lord! You tested me and you know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139:1, 2).

Having torn off the skin from Saint Photina, they threw her into the well. After that, having seized Sebastian, Photin and Josiah, they cut off their popliteal bones and threw them together with their knees to the dogs, and then they skinned them and, at the command of the emperor, threw them into a dilapidated stone building. Ordering after this to bring the five sisters of Photina to him, Nero ordered them to cut off their nipples, and then to tear off their skin. When the tormentors approached St. Photis for this, she did not want any of them to perform this torture on her, as on other holy women, but, standing in the place of torment, she courageously tore off her skin and threw it in her face Nero, so that he himself was amazed at her courage and patience. Then the tormentor devised a new, most cruel and deadly torment for Saint Photis. At his command, two trees were bowed to each other in his garden, and they tied them to the tops by the feet of Photis, after which the trees were released, and the holy martyr was torn apart by them. So she gave her righteous and blessed soul to God. After this, the impious Nero commanded all the other holy martyrs to cut off their heads with a sword, and taking Saint Photina out of the well, to imprison her, where she stayed for twenty days. Ordering then to bring her to him, Nero asked her if she would submit to him now and, repenting of her stubbornness, would she sacrifice to idols. Then Saint Photina spat in his face and, laughing at his madness and stupid reason, said:

O most wicked blind, deluded and foolish man! Do you really consider me so foolish that I would agree to renounce my Lord Christ and sacrifice to blind idols like you!?

Hearing such words, Nero ordered that Saint Photina be thrown into the well again. And when this was done, the holy martyr gave up her soul to God, and in the crown of martyrdom she rejoices eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven, together with all who suffered with her.

The Holy Martyr Photinia is revered by our people as a healer of fever. In many villages and cities of our country, prayers are served to her for those who suffer from this disease. It is not uncommon for patients to vow to paint or purchase an icon of the Holy Martyr Photinia.

It is very difficult to determine why St. Photinia is the healer of this fierce disease, but it is said in the legend that St. Photinia healed the governor Sebastian from some kind of illness, during which he: "He burned his face and fell to the ground from the potion of a great and fierce disease." Maybe it was the fever.

However, the people could also attach importance to the fact that the Savior spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, and thanks to this, Saint Photinia could, according to the people, receive from the Lord power and strength over the entire water element, in which, according to popular views, this terrible disease.

The Church of the Holy Martyr Photinia (Svetlana) is located in one of the most picturesque places in the Dnipropetrovsk region on the banks of the Dnieper near the famous Dnieper rapids, in the village of Dibrova, Sinelnikovsky district. It is no coincidence that the village has such a name. Even before the construction of the Zaporizhzhya hydroelectric power station, an oak grove (oak grove) grew on the banks of the Dnieper, and people called this place "heaven on earth." In this temple there is an icon of the Holy Martyr Photinia with a particle of her relics, at which a prayer service for health is constantly (every Wednesday of the week) with the blessing of the Metropolitan of Dnepropetrovsk and Pavlograd Iriney. Also in our church is kept a particle from the relics of the Monk Lawrence of Chernigov wonderworker.

The Samaritan woman did not come to the well for spiritual reasons: she simply came, as she came every day to draw water, and met Christ. Each of us can meet Christ at every step of life, for example, when we are busy with everyday affairs, we need our hearts to be set right if we are ready to meet Christ, receive blessings, hear - and ask questions. The Samaritan woman asked Christ questions: and what she heard in response surpassed her questions so much that she recognized Him as a prophet, and then recognized Him as Christ, the Savior of the world. This is what the Samaritan woman teaches us all: that at every moment of our lives, for the most unpretentious pursuits, we should be so open as to accept the Divine word, be purified by His purity, be enlightened by the Divine light and receive Him into the depths of our heart, accept God with all our life, so that people, seeing what we have become, can see that the Light has come into the world. Let us pray to the Samaritan woman that she would teach us, lead us by the hand to Christ, as she herself came to Him, and serve Him, as she served him, becoming a salvation for all who were around her.

Holy Martyr Svetlana (or Photinia)- a Palestinian hermit who lived in the 5th century in Israel and is revered in the Orthodox Church.

life

At sea, during a storm, the ship was driven onto stones and smashed into chips. None of the passengers escaped, except for one girl, who managed to grab hold of the plank and swam to the rock where the blessed Martinian labored. He helped Svetlana (that was the name of the girl) to climb the rock. He told her about his life on the rock, about visiting him three times a year by a shipbuilder, blessed the maiden, left her bread and water and threw himself into the sea. The dolphins helped him reach the land.

Svetlana was left alone to accomplish her feat in the name of the Lord. After some time, a shipbuilder arrived, brought bread and water to Martinian, and found a woman on a rock. Svetlana told everything to the shipbuilder, she refused the shipbuilder's offer to transport her to the city, and asked him to come with his wife and bring her men's clothes and wool for needlework.

The shipbuilder fulfilled her request, and Svetlana continued her ascetic life. She lived under the open sky 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 up for prayer twenty-four times. A pound of bread served her food for two days.

After six years of ascetic life on the island, Svetlana died. Already two months after her death, when the shipbuilder and his wife arrived at the appointed time, they found Blessed Svetlana dead forever. They buried Saint Svetlana in the city of Caesarea in Palestine.

Photinia translated from Palestinian means “bright”, which is why, when baptized, girls with the name Svetlana receive the church name Photinia.

The image of Saint Svetlana (Photina, Photinia) of Palestine teaches us love for the Lord and love for life. How often we get upset, we blame fate, we are dissatisfied, we always lack money, food, entertainment. And then we are ready to hate our life, accusing providence of injustice. Saint Svetlana (Fotina) miraculously escaped death, she accepted what happened as a gift from the Lord and did not want to waste the years allotted to her. Her feat makes a person take a different look at life. In any circumstance, whatever happens, we should be grateful for her.

Troparion

In you, mother, it is known that you have saved yourself in the image: having accepted the cross, you followed Christ, and you taught you to despise the flesh: it passes away, lie down about the soul, things are immortal. The same and with the Angels will rejoice, reverend mother Svetlana, your spirit.

magnificence

We bless you, reverend mother Svetlana, and honor your holy memory: you pray for us Christ our God.

Prayer

Pray to God for me, holy servant of God Fotino, as I diligently resort to you, an ambulance and prayer book for my soul.

The history of the Orthodox religion knows many examples of people who suffered severe hardships and torments for the sake of spirituality and the affirmation of faith. One of these is Photinia, a saint who preached Christianity at the dawn of its path, during times of severe persecution. The famous ascetic repeatedly showed the miracles of prayer and converted thousands of people to faith. Believers still turn to her image with requests for help and healing from serious illnesses.

Parable of living water

In there is a chapter that tells about the meeting of Christ with the Samaritan woman. In those distant times, Jews and Samaritans (immigrants from Mesopotamia) lived in cold enmity. Evangelizing the gospel, Jesus made his way through the Samaritan lands. Stopping near the city of Sychar, he wanted to drink water from Just at that moment a young woman approached. It was Photinia - April 2, according to a new style). Christ asked her for help, which surprised the woman very much, because he was a Jew. Jesus answered her that if she knew who she was talking to, she herself would ask Him for living water, which would become the source of eternal life. Christ spoke of the Christian faith. He also told the details of her life, pointed out her sins, and Photinia immediately recognized Him as a prophet. She returned to the city of Samaria and told everyone about the coming of the Savior, after which many Samaritans believed in the Messiah and converted to the Christian faith.

Emperor Nero

After this significant meeting, Photinia (Svetlana) went to Carthage (North Africa) to preach Christianity there. Despite the persecution of the pagans, she did it openly, fearlessly and selflessly. When Peter was also killed, Jesus appeared to her in a dream and ordered her to go to Rome, to the emperor Nero, in order to continue the spiritual path of her predecessors. Together with five sisters, the ascetic set about fulfilling her mission. At that time, there were severe persecutions of Christians in Rome. Arriving at the palace, Photinia and her sisters were captured by the pagans. Nero ordered the women's hands to be cut off. But no matter how hard the guards tried, they could not do this, they themselves fell to the ground, writhing in pain. And those wounds that they managed to inflict on them immediately disappeared.

Temptation of Photinia

Then the cunning and arrogant Nero, not wanting to believe in Christ, decided to tempt Photinia and her companions. He settled her in the palace, regaled her with delicious, delicious dishes, surrounded by a hundred slaves for service. There was also the daughter of the emperor - Domina. Forty days later, he visited Photinia and was very surprised when he learned that all the slaves around her, including his daughter, had converted to Christianity.

Enraged, Nero ordered that Photinia be skinned and then thrown into a dry well. The same fate befell the sisters of the martyr. A few days later, Photinia was taken out of the well, she was still alive and did not give up her faith. Then she was locked up in a dungeon for another 20 days. And again, Nero summoned her to his palace, but even then he did not get her to bow down and accept paganism. Photinia just laughed and spat in his face. Then they threw her back into the well.

This is how the martyr Photinia ended her earthly life. The saint did not renounce Christ before her death, striking the pagans with miracles of prayer. She was numbered among the holy great martyrs, who still patronize the needy and those who doubt their faith.

Icon

The gospel story about the meeting of the Savior and Photinia has been reflected in the visual arts more than once. Examples are a fresco in the church house of Dura Europos, made around the 3rd century (only the figure of a Samaritan woman has survived to this day), and a mosaic in the Ravenna church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (approximately the 6th century).

The memory of Saint Svetlana lives on in icon painting. The most ancient icons depicting a martyr date back to the 19th century. It is believed that her images help people to strengthen their spirit, overcome the temptations of sin, and gain firmness of faith, which Fotinia once brought to the Samaritans. Her icon patronizes not only women named Svetlana, but also all those who suffer.

Saint Svetlana protects Her image in the house - a guarantee of a strong family, well-being and understanding between generations, protection from evil intentions and deeds.

Christian traditions claim that when meeting with the Savior Photinia, the saint received power over the water element. Therefore, she managed to survive when she was thrown into the well by the Roman pagans, and heal people with a fever. Saint Svetlana helps people with a similar illness.

Prayer

Photinia had two sons - Joses (Joseph) and Victor. The first helped his mother in preaching the Gospel, the second was the Roman military commander. They also had deprivations and temptations of faith in their lives. However, the wise guidance and prayer of the mother helped them overcome all this. Today, turning with sincere faith to the image of the Great Martyr, many mothers find consolation and resolution of problems with their children. Saint Photinia (prayer to her inspires believers, gives confidence in their own abilities) teaches not to be afraid of difficulties. Therefore, you can turn to her with a prayer not only on the days of memory, but every day:

"Pray to God for me, holy saint of God, great martyr Photina, as I diligently resort to you, an ambulance and prayer book for my soul."

Miracles of Healing

There are cases when appeals to the image of Photinia helped to recover from serious diseases of the skin, the musculoskeletal system, and beat the fever. Today, her image reminds believers that you need to do good and believe with all your heart, despite all trials.

When the Roman executioners tortured the martyr, thanks to the power of prayer, she remained unharmed, her wounds healed quickly and without a trace. With her life, Saint Photinia proved that miracles are possible when you believe in them and work them yourself with the power of faith.

Holy places

The biblical story about the meeting of Christ and the Samaritan Photinia has a real geographical confirmation. In Israel, one of the most beautiful and picturesque places that attracts thousands of pilgrims is the Well of Jacob (Jacob). Next to it is an ancient temple, which was destroyed three times and rebuilt again. The well itself reaches 40 meters in depth. The water from it is considered healing.

The relics of Photinia the Samaritan woman are kept on the island of Crete, in the village of Fodele, in the convent named after the Great Martyr. Streams of pilgrims annually come here to strengthen their faith and ask for help in resolving spiritual problems.

On the territory of the CIS there are many temples of St. Photinia, where her Christian deed is revered and miraculous images are located. One of these is the Church of the Great Martyr in Dnepropetrovsk.

Photinia Palestine

In Christian sources, there is a story about another ascetic of faith with the name Photinia (angel's day - February 26, according to a new style). She was originally from Caesarea, therefore she received the prefix Palestinian. During a storm, the ship on which she sailed with other passengers was wrecked. Clinging to the plank, Photinia was the only one to escape and swim to the island, where Blessed Martinian was in prayer and fasting. He converted a woman to the Christian faith, and he left the island. Three times a year, a ship came to the island and brought food. Photinia of Palestine remained to live on the rock and continued the asceticism of Martinian. For six years she remained in fasting and prayer, and then she died and was buried in her native Caesarea.

Saint Photinia (her life dates back to the 5th century) helps people gain faith, improve their mental and physical health, and also patronizes sailors.

Photinia of Cyprus

There is another legend about Photinia of Cyprus. Her life dates back to about the 15th century. She was born in Karpasia (eastern part of Cyprus) in a pious family. In her youth, she decided to become the bride of Christ and left her father's house. Photinia settled in a cave, indulging in fasting and prayers. Soon the virgin was filled with the grace of God and began to perform miracles of healing. The news of this spread throughout the island and beyond. Many Christians turned to her for advice and to maintain spiritual strength.

Today, the cave where St. Photinia once labored is a place of pilgrimage. There is an altar and a deep spring in it, the liturgy is read. Every new moon, water rises in the spring with a thin film of sand. It is believed that water grants healing from many diseases, and sand is smeared on the eyes of the blind for insight. The cave is located near the Cypriot village of Agios Andronikos. And the relics of the ascetic herself are placed in the temple of the Apostle Andrew. The day of memory of the saint falls on August 2 (according to the new style).

Thus, there are three days a year when all Svetlanas celebrate name days. But this is not an ordinary holiday, but a day of remembrance deep in the spiritual sense. Here business is not limited to a feast and gifts. According to Christian tradition, on the day of St. Photinia-Svetlana, they go to church, confess, partake of the Holy Mysteries. They also turn with a grateful prayer to the Lord and the patroness.

Saint Photinia (of Samaritan) is also remembered on the fifth week after Pascha. At this time, the liturgy is read, thanksgiving and laudatory prayers are offered for the martyr's feat in the name of the Christian faith.

Characteristics of men