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
by Eva Catafygiotu Topping
Light and Life Publishing Company
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