Saint Paraskevi of Iconium | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Great-Martyr | |
| Died | 3rd century Iconium (modern-dayKonya, Turkey) |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic ChurchEastern Catholicism |
| Feast | October 28 |
| Attributes | red robe of martyrdom; vessel of perfume; Eastern Cross; scroll |
| Patronage | traders and fairs; marriage (Russia) |
SaintParaskevi of Iconium (also known asParaskeva Pyatnitsa) and in Bulgaria (Sveta Petka Samardjiyska - lit. "Saint Petka of the Saddlemakers") is venerated as aChristian virginmartyr. According to Christian tradition, she was born to a rich family ofIconium. Her parents were Christian, and Paraskevi was named as such (the name means "Friday" inGreek) because she was baptized on a Friday, the day ofChrist'sPassion.[1]
According to tradition, Paraskevi converted a man named Antoninus toChristianity. She was subsequently martyred at Iconium during the persecutions ofDiocletian.[1]
An account of her martyrdom was written by John of Euboea.[1] Paraskeva's cult and attributes became confused with that of othersaints with the same name as well as pre-Christian deities of theSlavs.[2]
As one scholar asks:
Was Parasceve, or Paraskeva, an early Christian maiden named in honor of the day of theCrucifixion? Or was she a personification of that day, pictured cross in hand to assist the fervor of the faithful? And was the Paraskeva of the South Slavs the same who made her appearance in northern Russia?[2]
Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa "developed a personality and functions of her own on Russian soil."[2] Icons of the 13th-15th centuries fromNovgorod depict Paraskeva as an ascetic figure wearing the red of martyrdom.[2] She holds an Eastern cross, a scroll professing her faith, or a vessel that holds the perfume of martyrdom.[2] She was depicted withSt. Anastasia orSt. Barbara orSt. Juliana; sometimes she is depicted with male saints.[2]
In Russia, Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa was the patroness of traders and fairs, and of marriage.[2] She is also the protectress of fields and cattle.[3]
_detail.jpg)
The veneration of Paraskeva by the eastern Slavs was closely associated with the ancient cult of the paganMokosha, to whom women dedicated Friday afternoon. The saint received the double name Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa,[4] (Russian:Параскева Пятница) meaning "Paraskeva Friday". Russified forms of the name Paraskeva (Greek:Παρασκευή) were also popular, asPraskovya and diminutivesParasha andPana.
Many Eastern Slavic churches bear the name of St. Friday, such asParaskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel overlookingKrasnoyarsk. The Slavic correspondent of "Friday", as Russian "Pyanitsa", even became a feminine name in its own right, which could exist alongside Praskovya.
