Память святой мученицы Евфрасии

The Holy Virgin Euphrasia came from the city of Nicomedia 754 and lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian 755. She was of noble birth, beautiful, pious, and served Christ as his faithful servant. During the persecution of Christians, Saint Euphrasia was captured by idolaters and forced to offer sacrifice to demons. When she refused to obey, they began to beat her severely; but she bravely endured the beatings. After the torment, Saint Euphrasia was given over for desecration to a barbarian, who, taking her, brought her to his home. The saint incessantly prayed to her Most Pure Bridegroom, Christ the Lord, so that He would preserve her unharmed. And so, when the wicked barbarian brought the saint into the bedroom, Euphrasia began to ask him to wait a short time, promising to give him some miraculous plant. “If you always carry this plant with you,” she said, “then no enemy weapon will touch you.” The saint spoke like this, imagining herself as if she were a sorceress. – You will give me this plant later. “This plant cannot be taken by the hands of a woman, but only a virgin who is not involved in marriage can take it. If it is not taken by a virgin, then it will have no power. Then the barbarian agreed not to touch Euphrasia until she plucked the named plant for him. Arriving at the garden and finding some kind of plant there, the saint took it and showed it to the barbarian. The latter asked her: – How will I know if what you tell me is true? – In response to this, Saint Euphrasia placed the plucked plant on her neck and said to him: “Take a sharp sword, swing both hands and hit me on the neck as hard as you can, and then you will see that your sword will not harm me at all.” The barbarian, believing the words of the saint, took the sword and, swinging it, struck very hard and cut off the honest head of Saint Euphrasia, and she fell dead 756. Seeing that he was ridiculed by the saint, the barbarian began to grind his teeth. The wise virgin went away undefiled to her Bridegroom - Christ, leaving us with an example of maintaining chastity, for she preferred to die rather than destroy her virginity. Nicomedia is a thriving populated city in the region of Bithynia, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Marmara, in the northwestern part of Asia Minor. Maximian Galerius, son-in-law and co-ruler of Emperor Diocletian (284–305), and later emperor of the eastern half of the Roman Empire (from 305–311). The death of the martyr Euphrasia followed in 303. You might be interested in: