St Photini, The
Samaritan Woman
Commemorated February 26
The New Testament
describes the familiar account of the "woman at the well" (John
4:5-42), who was a Samaritan. Up to that point she had led a sinful life, one
which resulted in a rebuke from Jesus Christ. However, she responded to
Christ's stern admonition with genuine repentance, was forgiven her sinful
ways, and became a convert to the Christian Faith - taking the name 'Photini' at Baptism, which literally means "the
enlightened one".
A significant figure in the Johannine community,
the Samaritan Woman, like many other women, contributed to the spread of
Christianity. She therefore occupies a place of honour among the apostles. In
Greek sermons from the fourth to the fourteenth centuries she is called
"apostle" and "evangelist." In these sermons the Samaritan
Woman is often compared to the male disciples and apostles and found to surpass
them.
Later, Byzantine hagiographers developed the story
of the Samaritan Woman, beginning where Saint John left off. At Pentecost Saint
Photini received baptism, along with her five
sisters, Anatole, Photo, Photis, Paraskeve,
Kyriake, and her two sons, Photeinos
and Joseph. She then began a missionary career, traveling far and wide,
preaching the good news of the Messiah's coming, His death and resurrection.
When Nero, the emperor of Rome, began to persecute Christians, Photini and her son Joseph were in Carthage, in Africa,
where she was preaching the Christian gospel. After Jesus appeared to Photini in a dream, she sailed to Rome. Her son and many
Christians from Africa accompanied her. Photini's
arrival and activity aroused curiosity in the capital city. Everyone talked
about her, "Who is this woman?" they asked. "She came here with
a crowd of followers and she preaches Christ with great boldness."
Soldiers were ordered to bring her to the emperor,
but Photini anticipated them. Before they could
arrest her, Photini, with her son Joseph and her
Christian friends, went to Nero. When the emperor saw them, he asked why they
had come. Photini answered, "We have come to
teach you to believe in Christ." The half-mad ruler of the Roman Empire
did not frighten her. She wanted to convert him! Nero asked the saints their
names. Again Photini answered. By name she introduced
herself, her five sisters and younger son. The emperor then demanded to know
whether they had all agreed to die for the Nazarene. Photini
spoke for them. "Yes, for the love of Him we rejoice and in His name we'll
gladly die." Hearing their defiant words, Nero ordered their hands beaten
with iron rods for three hours. At the end of each hour another persecutor took
up the beating. The saints, however, felt no pain. Nothing happened to their
hands. Photini joyfully quoted words of a psalm by
David: "God is my help. No matter what anyone does to me, I shall not be
afraid." Perplexed by the Christian's endurance and confidence, Nero
ordered the men thrown into jail. Photini and her
five sisters were brought to the golden reception hall in the imperial palace.
There, the six women were seated on golden thrones, In front of them stood a
large golden table covered with gold coins, jewels and dresses. Nero hoped to
tempt the women by this display of wealth and luxury. Nero then ordered his
daughter Domnina, with her slave girls, to go speak
with the Christian women. Women, he thought, would succeed in persuading their
Christian sisters to deny their God.
Domnina greeted Photini graciously, mentioning the name of Christ. On
hearing the princess' greeting, the saint thanked God. She then embraced and
kissed Domnina. The women talked. But the outcome of
the women's talk was not what Nero wished.
Photini catechized Domnina and her hundred slave girls and baptized them all.
She gave the name Anthousa to Nero's daughter. After
her baptism, Anthousa immediately ordered all the
gold and jewels on the golden table distributed to the poor of Rome.
When the emperor heard that his own daughter had
been converted to Christianity, he condemned Photini
and all her companions to death by fire. For seven days the furnace burned, But when the door of the furnace was opened, it was seen
that the fire had not harmed the saints. Next the emperor tried to destroy the
saints with poison, Photini offered to be the first
to drink it. "O King," she said, "I will drink the poison first
so that you might see the power of my Christ and God." All the saints then
drank the poison after her. None suffered any ill effects from it. In vain Nero
subjected Photini, her sisters, sons and friends to
every known torture. The saints survived unscathed to taunt and ridicule their
persecutor. For three years they were held in a Roman prison. Saint Photini transformed it into a "house of God."
Many Romans came to the prison, were converted and baptized. Finally, the
enraged tyrant had all the saints, except for Photini,
beheaded. She was thrown first into a deep, dry well and then into prison
again. Photini now grieved that she was alone, that
she had not received the crown of martyrdom together with her five sisters,
Anatole, Photo, Photis, Paraskeve
and Kyriake and her two sons, Photeinos
and Joseph. Night and day she prayed for release from this life. One night, God
appeared to her, made the sign of the cross over her three times. The vision
filled her with joy. Many days later, while she hymned and blessed God, Saint Photini gave her soul into God's hands. The Samaritan Woman
conversed with Christ by the well of Jacob, near the city of Sychar. She drank of the "living water" and
gained everlasting life and glory. For generation after generation, Orthodox
Christians have addressed this prayer to the woman exalted by the Messiah when
He sat by the well in Samaria and talked with her:
Illuminated by the
Holy Spirit, All-Glorious One,
from Christ the Saviour you drank the water of salvation.
With open hand you
give it to those who thirst.
Great-Martyr Photini, Equal-to-the-Apostles,
pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.
Adapted from Saints
and Sisterhood: The lives of forty-eight Holy Women
by Eva Catafygiotu Topping
Light and Life Publishing Company
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