Saint Pious Mother Parascheva, or Saint Friday in the popular name, is celebrated by the Orthodox Church every year, on October 14, but especially honored in Moldova, because her relics are found in Iasi, as a source of blessing and spiritual healing and body for those who call her in prayer to be an intercessor to the Most Merciful God.
How the name Parascheva penetrated into Christian onomastics/etymology
In Christian onomastics, the name Parascheva penetrated the Greek line, coming from the Greek “parascheve” which means Friday. And, as Friday is the time before the Sabbath, when preparations are made for the celebration, we could say that etymologically the name Parascheva literally translates as preparation.
As for the Slavic correspondent, this is “petka”, translated as the fifth day of the week, which means also Friday. Hence the nickname of Good Friday. On Friday, the day of the crucifixion of our Savior Jesus Christ, the pious Parascheva kept a black fast in prayer and acts of charity.
Saint Parascheva was born in Epivata in Eastern Thrace, today Boiados, in Bulgaria, a town on the shore of the Sea of Marmara near Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), the capital of the Byzantine Empire, at the beginning of the 11th century, in a Christian family with great zeal for the honor of God. Fasting, prayer and church were part of their way of life.
In the history and description of the lives of the saints, it is reported that Parascheva had another brother, who became a monk. At the age of 15, he dedicated himself to monastic life. Currently, it is recognized mainly by the Orthodox Churches in Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Russia and Serbia.
He spent his childhood in his parents’ house under their protection. It is said that when he was ten years old and was in the church he heard the word of the Gospel: “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”.
At the call of Christ the Redeemer, Saint Paraskeva will begin to give away everything she had, leaving herself in need. After his parents died, he sold the inheritance that came to him, distributing the money to the poor. At the urging of the monks and nuns, they go to the land of Pontus to the monasteries. He lived for 5 years at the Monastery of the Mother of God in Heraclea, then left for the Holy Land.
He saw Jerusalem, after which he settled in a nunnery in the Jordan desert. As Metropolitan Varlaam of Moldavia writes, in Kazania, here, Saint Paraskeva “no longer took care of clothes, food and meals, house or service, but only the purification of the soul”.
What did the angel who appeared to him in the dream tell him
When he was 25 years old, an angel appeared to him in a dream telling him to return to his native places, to deposit his body in the ancestral land for the journey he would make to the Heavenly Father. He left the desert of Jordan for his native land, at the call of God made through His ministering angels, but he stopped for prayer in Constantinople. Returning to Epivat, without telling anyone who she was and where she came from, unknown to the people around her, she continued the little life she had left to lead in the same asceticism.
Shortly after, Parascheva moved to the Lord, after a life of prayer, fasting and material poverty. She was buried as a foreigner. After many years, it happened that a ship was wrecked in the waters of the sea. The body of a drowned sailor was washed ashore by the waters. Discovered by the people in the surroundings, they dug a hole and buried him. But, one of the nights, the Saint appeared in a dream to some locals who asked them to move the sailor’s body buried next to his own.
Thus, God wanted to show who Saint Parascheva is, and people discovered her “incorruptible and fragrant body”. They took it with lights and incense and placed it in the church of the Holy Apostles in Epivat. As a result of the prayers of the Christians who prayed near his holy relics, all kinds of miraculous healings took place. This news spread in Thrace and the Balkan Peninsula, and the Patriarchate of Constantinople proceeded to canonize her.
How did the relics of Saint Parascheva arrive in Iasi
The relics of St. Parascheva were moved to several places due to the historical events that followed. For example, following the Fourth Crusade when the Roman Catholic Latins conquered Byzantium in 1204, the relics of Saint Parascheva were moved to the church of the Mother of God in Târnovo, the patriarchal residence of the Asanesti State, where they remained for 160 years. The Ottoman Empire conquered it, and the Christians moved the relics of Pious Parascheva to Belgrade, Serbia. As it also became part of the Ottoman Empire, the relics were taken to Constantinople.
After 120 years, the relics of the Venerable Parascheva had their last transfer to the Romanian land. In 1641, after the ruler of Moldavia, Vasile Lupu, paid all the debts of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, it decided to offer him, as gratitude, the relics of Pious Parascheva “for the sanctification and blessing of that place of Moldavia”. Brought to Iași, the relics of St. Parascheva were placed in the church of the Sfinții Ierarhi monastery, founded by ruler Vasile Lupu. Faithful Christians everywhere honor her by attending services on October 14 every year. Saint Pious Parascheva is considered the protector of the city of Iași, of the whole of Moldova and of all Romanians and Orthodox Christians.
Traditions and customs
Through prayer, believers gather around her, strengthening themselves in the right faith. Saint Pious Parascheva is called “very useful”, because through her innocence, holiness, piety and purity she frees people from passions, gives believers the joy of living, her bodily remains being miracle workers, bringing healings from God.
Saint Pious Parascheva is also called the bringer of heavy rains, the exterminator of harmful insects, the one who succeeds in removing evil creatures, but also the cheerleader of the plowmen. The miracles that are performed through his body fully show how God fills those who follow Him with grace not only spiritually, but also physically, these being a testimony of the judgment and the resurrection of humanity that will be at the Last Judgment.
Superstitions of the people
In country households, fires are lit, as people wish to ward off evil spirits. The shepherds believe that the coming winter will be hard if the sheep sleep in a huddle and mild if they are spread out. On this day, feasts are held for the dead and offerings are distributed.
There is still the tradition of the householders buying their husks and preparing for the winter. According to ziarulunirea.ro, it is also said that as it is the time of St. Parascheva, it will be like that until St. Demetrius. At the same time, another superstition says that as the weather will be on the day of the Pious, so will it be on the other holidays this year.
What is not good to do on Saint Pious Parascheva
To work on this holy day, because you will have troubles at work and in the family.
To skimp on money and food. If someone asks for your help, do not hesitate to offer it, otherwise you will only suffer damage and risk impoverishment.
Make a fire in the house on this day, no matter how cold it is. It is said that true faith keeps people’s souls warm. Those who make fire in the stove can have eye diseases and terrible headaches.
To crochet or sew if you are single, because you will never marry.
To eat something until 12 o’clock, when the service dedicated to St. Parascheva ends in most Orthodox churches. If you eat in the morning, especially non-fasting products, you will have stomach problems.
Why is she considered to be the protector of Moldova
Saint Parascheva is considered the Patron of Moldavia and Bucovina, being the most popular of all the Saints whose relics are in Romania. Every year, on the occasion of the celebration of the Pious Saint Parascheva, the shrine with its relics is taken out of the church and displayed on the esplanade of the Metropolitan Cathedral, generally on October 12. Then, for the celebration, a procession is organized in the nearby streets. Every October 14, on the feast of Saint Parascheva, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come from Romania and neighboring countries to kneel before the relics and ask for miracles. The pilgrimage has become one of the major religious events in Romania.
Valerian Radu, the Protosinghel of the Metropolitan Cathedral, during his 15 years in his position, heard about miracles that happened to the people who prayed to St. Parascheva. Inspired by the stories of the people around him, the protosinghel participated in the creation of the book “The Benefactions of Saint Pious Parascheva: Testimonies of Worshipers”, which presents a compilation of the experiences of people whose prayers were answered. “The people wrote the book,” he said.
