The Story of St. Petka – Martyr Parasceva of Rome

Living in Rome, the devoted Christian couple, Politea and Agathon, prayed greatly for a child. In the year 140AD, God blessed them with a daughter. They called her Parasceva, the Greek word for “Friday,” the day she was born.

As a child, she was blessed with a good education, and thorough religious training. Paraskeva grew up to be a devout and well-read woman, and she rejected many suitors.

When her parents died, she gave away of her belongings to the poor and, became the head of a Christian community of young virgins and widows. She was aged 20 at the time. Following the example of the holy apostles, she began walking about the countryside preaching the Gospel and converting many people to Christ.  This took considerable courage, because at that time, both Jews and Romans were persecuting Christians.

With her education and strong faith, Parasceva spoke influentially and brought many people to abandon their pagan idols and commit themselves to the true God. Her success as a preacher eventually brought her to the attention of the Emperor, Antoninus Pius.  He summoned Parasceva to the palace, and when, in spite of various threats and persuasions, she refused to denounce her faith in Jesus Christ, she was put to the cruellest tortures.

Finally, she was thrown into a barrel of boiling oil and pitch.  Seeing her standing in the barrel as though it were a bath of fresh water, the Emperor asked if she had used some magic to cool the oil.  In response, Parasceva scooped up some of the boiling oil and tossed it towards the Emperor, telling him to test it himself. Some of the burning liquid splashed into his eyes and blinded them.  Screaming out in pain, the Emperor begged the servant of God to heal him. Parasceva called aloud upon the name of the Lord, and instantly the Emperor regained his sight.  
Evidently astonished by this truly amazing miracle, Antonious was inspired to put a stop to the persecution of Christians throughout the empire, and Parasceva resumed her preaching unhindered.

Antoninus died in 161.  Under his successor, Marcus Aurelius, a plague broke out.  The Romans took it as a sign that their gods were angered by the soft treatment of the Christians, and another wave of persecution was unleashed against them.  Parasceva was oblivious of any danger and continued her missionary labour’s, everywhere spreading the holy Gospel.

In one city, the governor Asclepius threw Parasceva into a pit with a poisonous serpent, convinced the creature would kill her.  Instead, Paresceva made the sign of the Cross over the serpent and he stiffened and split in two, as if slain by a sword.  As a result, Asclepius and those with him came to believe in the true God.

Again at liberty, the Saint continued her preaching. In one city, she was brought to trial before the ruler, Tarasios, and began telling him about Jesus Christ. Tarasios did not believe her teaching, and therefore subjected her to various tortures. However, when he saw that nothing would persuade her to deny Christ, he ordered that the saint’s head be cut off with a sword.  She died in the year 170 AD.
She received her martyr’s wreath in about the year 180.  The martyr’s holy remains were later taken to Constantinople, where they were venerated by the faithful.

Saint Parasceva is venerated as a healer of the blind.

We commemorate Saint Parasceva (Petka) every year on the 8th of August.