A Study on the Apolytikion of St. Paraskevi

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr (source)

 
Note: The short but powerful Apolytikion (troparion) of St. Paraskevi, is often times not fully or clearly translated from the original Greek, and is even less often explained regarding its deep meaning and how the Saint illustrates Christ. This is an excerpt from a very lengthy study on the Saint's hymn, including many pertinent scriptural references. May the Saint's love and diligence for the Lord help us to prepare ourselves, and may the Lord make us worthy of His Kingdom, through her prayers.
  
Excerpt from a Study on the Apolytikion of St. Paraskevi
By Archimandrite Theophilos Lemonzi, PhD
Together with the holy icons, it is undeniable that the most beautiful hymns of the Church serve as teaching on the spiritual life, as the faithful person receives the knowledge of the wondrous deeds of the Saints, and is moved to imitate them. While the holy icons spiritually nourish the sight of the faithful, the hymns spiritually nourish the hearing of the faithful.

A special place in the heart and the pious lips of the Orthodox Christians is the Apolytikion of St. Paraskevi, which is as follows:
"Τὴν σπουδήν σου τῇ κλήσει κατάλληλον, ἐργασαμένη φερώνυμε, τὴ ὁ μώνυμόν σου πίστιν εἰς κατοικίαν κεκλήρωσαι, Παρασκευὴ ἀθληφόρε· ὅθεν προχέειςἰ άματα, καὶ πρεσβεύεις ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶ ἡμῶν."
"Working with a diligence proper to your calling, corresponding to your name, you inherited your faith of the same name as a dwelling-place, O Champion Paraskevi, therefore you pour forth healings, and you intercede on behalf of our souls."
 
The author of this perfectly-worked hymn is unknown, however, we can surmise that he was learned and had a deep knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and of Theology. From our pastoral experience we believe that very many have discussed the great teaching that this brings, and the deepest meaning of this Apolytikion, and have tried to translate it into modern Greek...
  
In the first part: "Working with a diligence proper to your calling, corresponding to your name" the main issue is the address «φερώνυμε» ("corresponding to your name", "name-bearer" or "namesake"). This is one who receives his name from someone, and the author is likely using the deepest meaning of the name "Paraskevi" which the Saint bears. The name that we are given at Holy Baptism has a deepest spiritual significance, and we are called to express throughout our life as a Christian that which our name means in reality. The author, with this word, tries to give the reason for which the Saint not only was named "Paraskevi", but also lived this name out in deed, because with her holy life was given meaning corresponding to her name: she correspondingly prepared herself with dedication for Martyrdom, and for the Kingdom of Heaven.
  
The word "Paraskevi" comes from the word "παρασκευάζω", meaning I prepare, but also I make myself something in order to obtain an identity, and it further means preparation, production, and ascesis. The sixth day of the week "Paraskevi" ("Friday") received its name from the Jews, for during that day they prepared for Sabbath rest with whatever they would need for that day, e.g. the food that they would eat. In the same way, St. Paraskevi, through the working of the commandments and asceticism of virtue, she prepared, in other words, she made herself worthy, preparing herself beforehand for her Martyrdom, and for her entrance into eternal life.

The phrase "Working with a diligence proper to your calling, corresponding to your name" furthermore expresses the whole Christian life of the Saint. The phrase "your calling" refers to the call from God towards the Saint for salvation, but also for every person. The meaning of divine call plays a central role in holy history. God called Abraham (Genesis 12:1-2), Moses in the desert of Sinai (Exodus 3:2), and the Holy Prophets. The Holy Apostles (Matthew 4:18-25) and the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-19) were called by Jesus to follow and to preach the Gospel. God calls all men "with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago," (II Timothy 1:9) through His Grace (Galatians 1:15). What distinguishes this is the freedom of man, and if he will respond to this call, for, as St. John of the Ladder says, even God directs Himself towards all men, because He does not remove their free will, He becomes life and salvation for those alone who desire Him. Because of this, the faithful become partakers in their heavenly calling (Hebrews 3:1), and are called "called and chosen" (Romans 1:6, Revelations 17:14). The significance of this calling is one's participation in eternal life (I Timothy 6:12), however, the faithful must show their love of struggle: ["For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps."] (I Peter 2:21)

With the phrase: "Working with a diligence" is expressed this response to the calling of God towards the Saint for salvation. On Holy Friday, Jesus "worked salvation in the midst of the earth" (Psalm 73:12), through His life-giving death, and St. Paraskevi "worked with diligence", in other words, worked with dedication, zeal and willingness to respond to the divine calling for salvation (see the phrase of St. Paul:  ^"For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves" (II Corinthians 7:11)) being obedient to the commandment of St. Paul "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).

The participation through "working", describes the working of the commandments of the Gospels, and the asceticism of virtue, as a struggle and agony of freedom. The Christian, as a worker of virtue, ought to work with goodness and to turn away from evil: "lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love." (Ephesians 4:1-2) As the Saints, who "worked righteousness", and also "received promises" (Hebrews 11:33), thus, the faithful should "work goodness" (Romans 2:10), because God will give to each "according to his works" (Romans 2:6).

The word «σπουδή» comes from the verb "σπουδάζω", which means I hasten, I am going, I am paying attention to details, willingly in order to accomplish something, I am dedicated to something with a unique interest, zeal and care. The faithful should work with care towards their salvation: "be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace" (II Peter 3:14), according to the Apostle Peter, and as the Apostle Paul commands St. Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed" (II Timothy 2:15).

St. Paraskevi was detail-oriented regarding the words of the Gospel, and she showed special care, willingness and zeal to be diligent to the Holy Scriptures, such that she was shown a missionary of Christ, and embodied non-possessiveness, giving away all her goods to the poor, studying the ascetical life "and through purity, making her soul beautiful", working ceaselessly for the Gospel and life according to God, confessing her faith in Christ and hastening towards Martyrdom.

The diligence and care of the Saint is further adorned through all of her working of the commandments and through her virtue, her struggles of asceticism and martyrdom, and her uncompromising love, to the point that she healed her persecutor, Antoninus. And all of these occurred with a special desire to be obedient to the word of the Apostle Paul "Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord." (Romans 12:11), and because of this, she was continuously witnessing to Christ, even after the first tortures that she suffered. She did not shy away, she was afraid, but continued "receiving the good witness".

The author, therefore, using this word "diligence", wishes to bring to the mind of the faithful the response of the Saint to the call of God towards salvation, her love of struggle, her willingness and care for asceticism in her Christian life, and her bearing witness. The spiritual life, even though it does not come from man, requires the consent of man to bear fruit. This presupposes an unending struggle against the passions, and simultaneously a working towards the keeping of the virtues of the Gospel, as noted by blessed Fr. Michael Karadamakes. The phrase, therefore "Working with a diligence proper to your calling", has the same content as the suggestion of the Apostle Peter to the faithful: "therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:10-11) and reveals the consent of the Saint to the divine calling towards asceticism and the keeping of the commandments. And all of these she worked with a corresponding and illustrative manner, with humility and love, for the asceticism of virtues, when they do not occur according to the commands of the Gospel, they are not pleasing to God: "An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules." (II Timothy 2:5) Similar to the Pharisee of the Parable (Luke 18:1-14), who worked to keep the commandments of God, but his inspiration was to please men, and because of this, he was not justified...

In the second part: "you inherited your faith of the same name as a dwelling-place, O Champion Paraskevi", a most important point is point is the word "inherited", which serves as the immediate continuation of the beginning phrase "working with a diligence proper to your calling, corresponding to your name", and reveals that which the Saint received as a gift and inheritance from God due to the diligence and willingness that she showed. The word «κληροῦμαι» means to receive something through lot, and the hymnographer says that the Saint received through her lot, as a lawful inheritor, this faith of the same name as a dwelling-place.

St. Paraskevi with scenes from her life and martyrdom (source)

   
But what does this phrase mean: "your faith of the same name"?

That which she herself possesses is called synonymous, because it shares the same name with something. Synonymous unites two words which have the same meaning. In this specific case, the word «ὁμώνυμον» has the final meaning of the word and means that the two words «πίστις» and «παρασκευή» ("faith" and "preparation") have the same meaning. But why does the hymnographer use this meaning to unite these two words? The reason is most deep and theological. As we mentioned above, the name of the Saint means preparation for martyrdom and for the Kingdom of Heaven, through her working of the commandments of God, her asceticism and love of struggle. As a consequence, the Christian faith is not possible as a theoretical religious ideology, but, as was remarked by Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, if we keep the commandments, this is a confession. As long as sin is a denial of God, then love of struggle and the taking up of one's Cross is a practical outcome of one's Christian identity. Through Holy Scripture, the meaning of faith plays an essential role.

The faith of holy people goes together with works: the Apostles, having believed in Christ, at the same time: "immediately left their nets and followed Him" (Mark 1:18), and Abraham believed "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go" (Hebrews 11:8), he left his homeland according to the directive of God and "you see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works" (James 2:22). Therefore, Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopedi teaches us that: "our Lord convinces us that it is not enough, and it does not benefit us to know only abstractly that God exists. ['Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)] ["He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” (John 14:21)]. He who "has", in other words, he who cared to learn the meanings and the goal of my commandments, and who afterwards "keeps" them, in other words, uses them. And He notes the meaning of the commandments "and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (John 14:21) and He confirms again: " He who does not love me does not keep my words."" (John 14:24)

Blessed Fr. John Romanides remarks that, according to Orthodox Theology, man cannot, like Protestant heresies, become a perfect and saved Christian by himself, through some rational decisions regarding the faith and compliance with some general idea about love. He requires ascesis, trial and struggle against the schemes of the devil. This is what St. Paraskevi did. She was not only faithful in words, but expressed this through her asceticism of virtue "faith worked through love" (Galacians 5:6), being obedient to the command of the Apostle Peter "supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge" (II Peter 1:5)...

Therefore, the phrase "your faith of the same name" shows that faith means struggle and ascesis for virtue, and serves as a practical confession, for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). It means that I prepare myself, through the keeping of the commandments, to receive the Grace of God and to enter the Kingdom of God. The Christian faith does not have a notion of stasis, in other words, that I simply accept an ideology, for "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?" (James 2:14) but it has a dynamic meaning, to confess my faith in Christ with my deeds according to St. Paul's exhortation to Timothy: "Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (I Timothy 6:12) In essence, the phrase "your faith of the same name" summarizes the whole meaning of the "life in Christ".

The hymnographer says that the Saint received from God through lot, "inherited", to have it as a dwelling place sharing the same name with this faith. The word "κλήρος" has to do with the casting of lots (see Acts 1:26), but also the meaning of the lawful part which one receives as an inheritance. The Apostle Paul offers thanksgiving "to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:12) and the sacred Chrysostom, interpreting this says that the Apostle Paul wishes to teach that sanctification and theosis is not the outcome of human virtue, but serves as a gift of God....

The author, therefore, wishes to show the great gift of the Grace of God to the Saint due to her holy life, and that this gift is given, for she obtained adoption, she became a child of God, and as a result, inherited from Him, according to the word of the Apostle Paul "and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." (Romans 8:17) God the Word became man "that we might receive adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:5). The presupposition, however, is for us to "suffer together with Him", as St. Paul says, in other words, ascesis and love of struggle, the diligence for which the Saint showed, and therefore having kept this, "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God" (John 1:12)

The Saint faithfully kept this presupposition, to "suffer together" through asceticism of the virtues and martyrdom, and through this manner she allowed herself to receive the grace of adoption, and because of this, to become a genuine inheritor of His Kingdom.

The content of this lot, of the inheritance which the Saint received was given to her as a dwelling-place sharing the name of the faith. This phrase is difficult to explain, and for us to understand this, we need to understand what we mean by "place" (II Corinthians 5:1-5), as St. Paul compares the biological and mortal status of man with a "tent", in which dwells sin and the passions. We the faithful dwell in this house as well ["Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling"] as we experience the consequences of corruption from the passions, and we long to come to dwell in "a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens...For while we are still in this tent, we sigh with anxiety; not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee..."

St. John Chrysostom, interpreting this, says that this place specifically is not a dwelling made by hands in which we are called to dwell, it is not some stable of the body, but sanctification and incorruption which the faithful receive through Divine Grace...

The person who finds himself under the slavery of the passions comes to dwell in this "earthly tent", in other words, in corruption and sin. He is called to respond to the call from God to repent with a disposition of self-denial, to deny the devil and his words and to walk the path of asceticism, that he might become a recipient of Divine Grace. Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopedi teaches that, as long as we keep the commandments, we confess our faith in God, and turn our freedom towards God, then Divine Grace is moved, which destroys the old man and builds within us the new, dispassionate one. Divine Grace gives such strength that the Holy Martyrs could endure all the inhumane tortures from their persecutors.

This new reality, the new man, the life in Christ, is the tent not made by human hands, which the faithful hope to be adorned with, and which was received by St. Paraskevi as a gift from God. the hymnographer wishes to show that the Saint, by holding steadfast to her faith, "for we walk by faith, not by sight." (II Corinthians 5:7), endured the struggles of asceticism, and through the keeping of the commandments, of obedience and self-denial, she became a recipient of Divine Grace, receiving "grace sent from above", which works salvation within us...
(source)
 

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!