Venerable Martyr Paraskeva of Rome

CATEGORY REFINEMENT: the previous category "martyr" is refined to "venerable martyr" — all sources (pravenc.ru, azbyka.ru, drevo-info.ru) consistently use this fuller title, since she led an ascetic, preaching life before her martyrdom.

Venerable Martyr Paraskeva of Rome was a 2nd-century Christian ascetic and martyr, the only daughter of the pious Christians Agatho and Politia, who lived near Rome. Born on a Friday, she was named Paraskeva (Greek for "preparation," recalling the day of Christ's Passion). After her parents' death she distributed her inheritance to the poor and, following the apostles' example, devoted herself to preaching Christ among pagans, converting many.

For confessing her faith she was tortured: a red-hot helmet was placed on her head and she was plunged into boiling pitch and oil, yet remained unharmed through prayer; when spattered pitch blinded the ruler examining her, he was healed by her prayers and converted. She was beheaded under a ruler named Tarasius, at about twenty years of age.

Her venerable head is kept on Mount Athos at the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery; part of her relics were transferred to Athens in 1922. She is widely venerated in the Greek-speaking world, while in Russia the name "Friday" is more closely tied to a separate, homonymous martyr, Paraskeva of Iconium (see paraskeva; feast October 28) — two distinct historical figures united only by name and the Friday commemoration, which gave rise to centuries of popular confusion. Feast: July 26/August 8.