Volume 2, Issue 4
September 2009
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At times, we all wish that we had been a little wiser in life. For those named Sofia, then wisdom abounds because in Greek Agia Sofia stands for wisdom, seen as the personification of God’s wisdom. Her name day is actually celebrated alongside her three daughters’ names, Faith (Pistis), Hope (Elpida) and Love.(Agape) Brought up in the Christian faith, their names spread across the land and soon the Governor heard about them. Wanting to have their outward beauty for himself, he had reported them to the Emperor who had them brought to him.and sent them for trial. Knowing what lay ahead for her daughters, Sofia gathered them and told them that their faith would be tested and to walk away would be to deny God. She told them that their trials would be painful and would lead to their death. They all knew that Christ would be with them and the gifts of heaven awaited them and that the physical pain they were to endure would only be for a short time. For
Think of a Name....
the first days, the Emperor Hadrian tried to teach them idolatry but the sisters and Sofia used the time for prayer and to strengthen their faith. Eventually though Hadrian lost patience and each of the sisters
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underwent torture but not once did they waiver and died without denouncing their faith. The Emperor decided that the pain of living without her daughters was punishment enough for Sofia and she was released. After three days of grieving, Sofia’s life was taken peacefully from her and her soul joined her daughters’ in heaven. Sofia’s name day, celebrating also her daughters’ is 17th September.
Agios Dimitris came from Thessaloniki on the Greek mainland. Reports of his acts can be found from the 9th Century, although accounts and images of his miracles exist from the 7th Century. The city underwent many sieges and attacks when the Slavs moved in from the Balkans. Dimitris was credited with many miraculous interventions. Along with Agios Giorgos, he was the patron of the crusades. For four centuries, the relics of Dimitris were undiscovered and an empty shrine was built in his church. However, his bones were later found, although the then local archbishop of Thessaloniki, publicly dismissed the remains. The relics were nevertheless places inside the shrine. They were claimed as authentic after they started to emit the perfumed smell of myrrh. He was given the epithet maurovletes (myrrh streamer). This has been attested to in the modern day as myrrh is reported to stream from the relics, which has to be constantly cleared to stop the reliquary from overflowing with the sweet smelling fragrance. This has also been reported as dubious.
Agios Dimitris is the patron saint of Thessaloniki and anyone named Dimitris or Dimitra
Agios Dimitris came from Thessaloniki on the Greek mainland. Reports of his acts can be found from the 9th Century, although accounts and images of his miracles exist from the 7th Century. The city underwent many sieges and attacks when the Slavs moved in from the Balkans. Dimitris was credited with many miraculous interventions. Along with Agios Giorgos, he was the patron of the crusades. For four centuries, the relics of Dimitris were undiscovered and an empty shrine was built in his church. However, his bones were later found, although the then local archbishop of Thessaloniki, publicly dismissed the remains. The relics were nevertheless places inside the shrine. They were claimed as authentic after they started to emit the perfumed smell of myrrh. He was given the epithet maurovletes (myrrh streamer). This has been attested to in the modern day as myrrh is reported to stream from the relics, which has to be constantly cleared to stop the reliquary from overflowing with the sweet smelling fragrance. This has also been reported as dubious.
Agios Dimitris is the patron saint of Thessaloniki and anyone named Dimitris or Dimitra
celebrate their name days on 26th October.
So Kronia Polla for 17 September & 26 October!
So Kronia Polla for 17 September & 26 October!
