The festal Divine Liturgy for the Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia was celebrated at Saint Alexius Cathedral in Samarkand.

The Liturgy was celebrated by the rector of the cathedral, Priest Igor Babakov.

The All-Night Vigil was served on the eve.

Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia lived in Italy during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117–138) and came from a wealthy and pious family.

Once, while the saints were staying in Rome, they were seized by the soldiers of the emperor, who had heard reports of their piety and virtues. The emperor was astonished at the firmness of faith of such young maidens and ordered them to be brought to him one at a time, thinking that in this way they would not imitate one another and would not dare to resist him.

The first to stand before the tyrant was twelve-year-old Faith. She answered Hadrian’s flattering speeches with confidence, denouncing his impiety and his evil designs against the Christians. The enraged emperor ordered the girl to be stripped and mercilessly scourged. Then her breasts were cut off, and milk instead of blood flowed from the wounds. The other torments to which Faith was subjected likewise did not break her, for she was shielded by the power of God. All this time St. Sophia encouraged her daughter to accept with joy the death that unites one with Christ. After the tortures, St. Faith was beheaded.

Then the emperor ordered Hope, who was ten years old, to be summoned. She was just as firm as her sister in confessing Christ as the true God. She was scourged and then thrown into a burning furnace, but the flame went out, for the love of God burning in Hope’s soul was stronger than any physical flame. After many other torments she too suffered death by the sword, sending up praises to the Lord.

Hadrian, greatly enraged, summoned Love, who was only nine years old. But this child too showed the same courage as her sisters. She was hung on the rack and stretched so violently that the joints of her legs and arms began to break. Then the girl was thrown into a blazing furnace, but an angel saved her from the fire. In the end St. Love was beheaded with the sword.

Their mother rejoiced in spirit, seeing the glorious feats of her daughters, who had reached the heavenly mansions, but her human heart was so exhausted by suffering that a few days later St. Sophia departed to the Lord at the grave of her children.

At the end of the service the akathist to the Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia was read.