"Let Heaven rejoice, and let those upon the earth dance..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Christ speaking with the Samaritan Woman (source)

   

Let Heaven rejoice, and let those upon the earth dance, for Christ, Who was born of the Virgin, has appeared as a man to deliver all mankind from corruption through His own death, and He has shown forth with wonders, as the Samaritan Woman seeks water to be granted to her from the Spring of healings, as the Only Immortal One.
-Kathisma from the feast of the Samaritan Woman

(source)
 

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly, the Lord is risen!

"Being Life itself, and the spring of incorruption..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Christ speaking to the Samaritan Woman St. Photini (Source)

  

Being Life itself, and the spring of incorruption, You sat beside the spring, O Compassionate One, and for the Samaritan Woman who asked of You, You filled her with the waters of all wisdom, as she hymned You.

The life of all that live, the spring of all good things, the Lord richly rains down His teachings [for all], and cries to the Woman: Give me water to drink, that I might grant you water to dry up the springs of your sins.

O Lord, you are the river of eternal life, and the abyss of mercy, O Good One, and while You were traveling, You sat by the Well of the Oath, and cried out to the Samaritan Woman: Give me water to drink, that you might receive the waters of forgiveness.
-from the Canon for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman St. Photini
  
(source)
  

Christ has risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

"The Source of wonders came to the source..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Christ talking with the Samaritan Woman (and later St. Photini) at Jacob's Well (source)

  

The source of wonders came to the source at the sixth hour to catch the fruit of Eve; for at the same hour Eve had left Paradise by the deception of the serpent. The woman of Samaria then came near to draw water. When the Saviour saw her he said: Give me water to drink and I will fill you with water welling up. The wise woman ran to the city, and at once announced to the crowds: Come, see Christ the Lord, the Saviour of our souls.

-Idiomelon from Great Vespers of the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, First Tone.

(source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

Excerpts from the Homily on the Samaritan Woman by St. John Chrysostom

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Christ speaking with the Samaritan Woman (St. Photini) (source)

   

Today, Christ desires to proclaim the struggles of the Samaritan woman, and we must, with this poor word, sail the sea of her feats. I behold her faith, and I wish to tell of her word of praise, and with us join in the poor and rich, the harlot and apostle, the prodigal and faithful, the many-times-married and those very strong. For she who was defiled by many, was then healed and sanctified by the Only-begotten Word of God. For she who thirsted and desired living water, inherited the heavenly streams of grace...

Therefore, the Samaritan Woman went to draw water, and beheld Jesus as some stranger, a traveler, sitting by the well. She beheld a wearied man, and did not say a word to Him. But He, God, Who beholds all, even before their birth, beheld the treasure of faith, and told her: “Give me something to drink.” The Wellspring of Life, sitting beside the well, did not require drink, but desired to give. “Give me to drink, that I might give the water of incorruption to drink. I thirst for the salvation of men, not that I might drink, but that I may give them water. I imitated my Father, as God said to Abraham: 'Give me your son. Give me Isaac, your beloved and only son, as a burnt sacrifice upon the mountains that I shall show you.' But He did not desire his son, but desired to grant His own Son to the world. For the Son of Thunder, the God-inspired John writes: 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him may not perish, but have eternal life...'"

   

“And those who worship God, must worship Him in spirit and truth.” There are no longer whole-burnt offerings, and bulls, and rams. There is no longer circumcision, and the prison of the Sabbath. There is no longer the temple, and the altar, and the sheep gate, and the holy of holies. There is no longer the shadow, and services and false Sabbaths. "For your new moon celebrations and your Sabbaths", as God said through the prophet, "and your great day I cannot bear. Your fast and your rest and your feasts my soul hates. Those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. They have all passed like a shadow, the ancient things have passed away, behold, all things have become new. Therefore, things have been transformed by grace. There is no longer according to the law one place where I will forgive those whom have gathered to worship God, but into all the world I wish the gifts of salvation to be poured. For their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." The woman then says to Him: “I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called the Christ, and when he comes he will show us all things.” O harlot, made wise spiritually! O harlot, bearing the divine Scripture on her mouth! Even though the body be baptized into uncleanliness, her soul was cleansed by the reading and meditating on the Scriptures...

“I, who am speaking to you, am he.” O great and paradoxical wonders! He did not reveal Himself to many of the Apostles, but to this harlot He reveals Himself clearly. He did not reveal Himself to Kleopas or the Apostles, but when He had opened their eyes, the Disciples said among themselves, “Did not our hearts burn within us when He opened to us the Scriptures?” He did not reveal Himself to them, but to the woman he said: “I, who am speaking to you, am he.” He lifted up Paul to the Third Heaven, and seized him into Paradise, where he heard unspeakable words, and therefore netted the world, the same He did with the Samaritan Woman. He truly revealed Himself to Paul from heaven, saying: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard to fight against the pricks.” Saul replied, saying: “Who are you, Lord?” He replied: “I am Jesus Christ whom you are persecuting.” He therefore says the same to the Samaritan woman, saying: “I, who am speaking to you, am he.” And the Disciples then came and found Him speaking with the woman. He Who is worshipped by the Angels, converses with a harlot. He Who rules together with the Father eternally, speaks one-on-one with the woman. But she, leaving her pitcher, entered the city. She left her pitcher, because she had been filled with living waters, and she went to her fellow citizens, crying out: “Come, behold a man Who told me everything I had ever done. Could this be the Christ? Come, behold the man.” She did not say: “Come, behold God among men” that she might flee the glory of men, that men might not say of her, “She is insane”...

O apostolic harlot! The harlot became stronger than the Apostles. For the Apostles, after all of the [Divine] Economy had been fulfilled, then became apostolic preachers, while the harlot, before the Passion and the [Divine] Economy, and the Resurrection, evangelized Christ. “Come, behold a man Who told me everything I had ever done. He posted my sins, that I might lead you to Him. That you might behold God Who had come to dwell among men, I proclaim my evil deeds. And let us worship Christ, Who does not disdain sinners. Come, behold a man Who told me everything I had ever done. Could this be the Christ?” Do you see the gratitude of the harlot? Christ told her one sin, of harlotry, and she then hastened to tell the city: “Come, see a man Who told me everything I had ever done.” She preached Him Who beholds all things, and more mightily than the Apostles. For she had not seen the dead being raised, she did not see Lazarus called back from the tomb after four days, she did not see the [gates] of death being shut, she did not see the sea being calmed by His word alone, she did not see Him Who fashioned Adam, refashion the Blind man, as He the Potter did in Eden...

   

(amateur translation of Greek text from source)

   

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

The relics of St. Photini in Constantinople

Icon of St. Photini the Great-Martyr (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
  

The synaxarion for August 20th includes the following entry:

Mνήμη της Aγίας Mάρτυρος Φωτεινής, έξω της πόρτας των Bλαχερνών.

+Ήδη βλέπεις φως άδυτον του Kυρίου,

Θανούσα Mάρτυς αγάπης αυτού χάριν.

(http://www.snhell.gr/references/synaxaristis/search.asp)

  

The memory of the Holy Martyr Photini, outside of the gates of Blachernae

+Now you see light in the innermost sactuary of the Lord,

Departed Martyr graced with His love.

(amateur translation)

  

Most of the modern Synaxaria show no details about this entry, but interestingly, an 11th or 12th century life of St. Photini recounts how her sacred relics were discovered and worked many miracles in Constantinople. The first finding of her relics in Constantinople (and the subsequent building of her shrine) occured near Blachernae, so this feast mentioned above may correspond to the following miracle:

  

"An epidemic of blindness has swept through the city of Constantinople and a man called Abraham (Abraamios) was distraught having lost his sight. He cried out to:
"God not to neglect him who was in mortal danger, but to show him the path whereby he should not be deprived of the light that is sweetest to all men. As he was thus despondent and lamenting his condition, he found respite from his despair in sleep, and while he was asleep he saw a divine vision: the vision was of a woman who was already elderly and aged and quite advanced in years, wearing a garment of linen, with a pleasant and charming face. She seemed to carry a large candle, and touched his eyes and said in a cheerful voice: "Blind men, recover your sight, and those who are in darkness, receive the light; for behold, through me, the perfume-bearing martyr Photeine, Christ will grant light to your darkened eyes and will bring an end to your affliction and relieve your suffering. And this is a sign for you. A thickly wooded and dark cave holds my in its depths, and if you dig you will find me and light will shine II on you and all your household and everyone who calls on my name through Jesus Christ." As she spoke these words, she indicated the place with her hand, and he made a mental note of it. Therefore he quickly shook off his drowsiness, and ran to the spot, after sharing word of his vision with others. And after laboring hard for a short time they found concealed beneath an underground chamber the inviolate treasure, the true pearl, the blooming lily, the venerable remains of the great martyr Photeine, which dimly preserved the features in the man's vision. Straightaway then the afflicted man embraced, clasped and kissed the , washed them with his tears, lifted his eyes up to them, and was immediately delivered entirely from his dim sight." (A. M. Talbot "The Posthumous Miracles of St. Photeine" Analecta Bollandiana 112 (1994), 90.; taken from: http://mediterraneanworld.typepad.com/the_archaeology_of_the_me/2008/10/blindness-dreams-and-relics.html)

Thus for a time in Constantinople, the relics of St. Photini inhabited two shrines dedicated to her, and helped work many miracles for the faithful. However, these shrines are no longer extant, to my knowledge. St. Photini is still greatly honored throughout the world as the Samaritan Woman who met Christ and followed and preached Him until death, and who continues to work many miracles and healings. She is especially honored at her church built at the Well of Jacob (today the town of Nablus), and by her church in Nea Smyrni outside of Athens, built by the people of Smyrna after the Catastrophe. Finally, the Monastery of Iveron on Mount Athos treasures the holy, incorrupt foot and leg of the Saint (which is supposedly the largest remaining portion of her relics), while Grigoriou Monastery has a portion of her skull, and many other churches and monasteries treasure her relics as well.

 

The holy, incorrupt foot of St. Photini the Great Martyr, treasured by the Monastery of Iveron, Mount Athos (source)

     

See the previous posts for the life of St. Photini and those martyred with her (http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/02/st-photini-great-martyr-and-those-with.html), and an account of her feast on the Fifth Sunday of Pascha (http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/05/fifth-sunday-of-pascha-sunday-of.html). May St. Photini intercede for us all and help us!

Another icon of St. Photini the Great-Martyr (taken from: http://www.rel.gr/photo/displayimage.php?album=26&pos=86)
  

Dismissal Hymn of St. Photini - Third Tone – “Your confession…”

All illuminated by the Holy Spirit, you drank with great and ardent longing of the waters Christ Saviour gave to you; and with the streams of salvation you were refreshed, which you abundantly gave to those athirst. O Great Martyr and true peer of the Apostles, Photini, entreat Christ God to grant mercy to us.

(taken from: http://home.iprimus.com.au/xenos/photini.html)
  
   Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Fifth Sunday of Pascha: The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Icon of Christ meeting the Samaritan Woman, later St. Photini (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
   

"Reading:
One of the most ancient cities of the Promised Land was Shechem, also called Sikima, located at the foot of Mount Gerazim. There the Israelites had heard the blessings in the days of Moses and Jesus of Navi. Near to this town, Jacob, who had come from Mesopotamia in the nineteenth century before Christ, bought a piece of land where there was a well. This well, preserved even until the time of Christ, was known as Jacob's Well. Later, before he died in Egypt, he left that piece of land as a special inheritance to his son Joseph (Gen. 49:22). This town, before it was taken into possession by Samaria, was also the leading city of the kingdom of the ten tribes. In the time of the Romans it was called Neapolis, and at present Nablus. It was the first city in Canaan visited by the Patriarch Abraham. Here also, Jesus of Navi (Joshua) addressed the tribes of Israel for the last time. Almost three hundred years later, all Israel assembled there to make Roboam (Rehoboam) king.

When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, came at midday to this city, which is also called Sychar (John 4:5), He was wearied from the journey and the heat, and He sat down at this well. After a little while the Samaritan woman mentioned in today's Gospel passage came to draw water. As she conversed at some length with the Lord and heard from Him secret things concerning herself, she believed in Him; through her many other Samaritans also believed.

Concerning the Samaritans we know the following: In the year 721 before Christ, Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians, took the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel into captivity, and relocated all these people to Babylon and the land of the Medes. From there he gathered various nations and sent them to Samaria. These nations had been idolaters from before. Although they were later instructed in the Jewish faith and believed in the one God, they worshipped the idols also. Furthermore, they accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, and rejected the other books of Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, they thought themselves to be descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Therefore, the pious Jews named these Judaizing and idolatrous peoples Samaritans, since they lived in Samaria, the former leading city of the Israelites, as well as in the other towns thereabout. The Jews rejected them as heathen and foreigners, and had no communion with them at all, as the Samaritan woman observed, "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Therefore, the name Samaritan is used derisively many times in the Gospel narrations. After the Ascension of the Lord, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the woman of Samaria was baptized by the holy Apostles and became a great preacher and Martyr of Christ; she was called Photine, and her feast is kept on February 26." (taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=884&PCode=4PS&D=S&date=5/17/2009)

See the following link for St. John Chrysostom's divine interpretation of this Gospel passage: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.iv.xxxiv.html.

And see a previous post for more info about St. Photini the Great Martyr and those with her: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/02/st-photini-great-martyr-and-those-with.html.

Fresco of Christ meeting with the Samaritan Woman, from Decani Monastery (taken from: http://www.srpskoblago.org/Archives/Decani/exhibits/Collections/PublicMinistry/CX4K2851_l.html)
   

Doxastikon of the Stichera - Tone 6.
Finding the woman of Samaria by the well of Jacob, Jesus, who covers the earth with clouds, asked water of her. O the wonder! He who rides on the Cherubim converses with a woman who is a harlot. He who hung the earth upon the waters, asks for water. He who pours out springs and pools of water, seeks water, as he wishes truly to draw her who is hunted by the warlike foe, and to quench with the water of life the thirst of her who is aflame with foul desires, as he alone is compassionate and loves mankind.
  

Doxastikon of the Aposticha - Tone 8.
When through your inexpressible dispensation, Christ God, you appeared on earth, the woman of Samaria, having heard your word, full of love for mankind, left her bucket at the well and ran saying to those in the city: Come, see the one who knows the heart: is not this the expected Christ, who has great mercy?

Doxastikon of the Praises - Tone 6.
The spring of life’s source, Jesus our Saviour, came to the spring of the Patriarch Jacob and sought water to drink from a woman of Samaria. But when she objected that there was no sharing vessels by the Jews, the wise creator diverts her with sweet words rather to ask for the eternal water; which she accepted and proclaimed to all, saying: Come, see the one who knows hidden things, and is God come in the flesh to save mankind.

(hymns from the Great Vespers and Orthros of the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman taken from Fr. Ephraim Lash at: http://www.anastasis.org.uk/SamarSun.htm)

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

St. Photini the Great-Martyr and Those With Her

Christ talking to St. Photini at Jacob’s Well, detail from fresco from the Protaton, Mount Athos, by Manuel Panselinos (taken from www.eikonografos.gr)

On February 26th we celebrate the Great-Martyr, and Equal-to-the-Apostles, St. Photini, together with her family martyred with her. St. Photini was the Samaritain Woman who spoke to Christ at Jacob's Well (told in John 4, and celebrated the Fifth Sunday of Pascha).

Here is a quote from St. John Chrysostom's Commentary of the Gospel of St. John:

"'The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a Man which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?'

[1.] We require much fervor and uproused zeal, for without these it is impossible to obtain the blessings promised to us. And to show this, Christ at one time saith, “Except a man take up his cross and follow Me, he is not worthy of Me” ( Matt. x. 38 ); at another, “I am come to send fire upon the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled?” ( Luke xii. 49 ); by both these desiring to represent to us a disciple full of heat and fire, and prepared for every danger. Such an one was this woman [St. Photini]. For so kindled was she by His words, that she left her water pot and the purpose for which she came, ran into the city, and drew all the people to Jesus. “Come,” she saith, “see a Man which told me all things that ever I did.”

Observe her zeal and wisdom. She came to draw water, and when she had lighted upon the true Well, she after that despised the material one; teaching us even by this trifling instance when we are listening to spiritual matters to overlook the things of this life, and make no account of them. For what the Apostles did, that, after her ability, did this woman also. They when they were called, left their nets; she of her own accord, without the command of any, leaves her water pot, and winged by joy performs the office of Evangelists. And she calls not one or two, as did Andrew and Philip, but having aroused a whole city and people, so brought them to Him.

Observe too how prudently she speaks; she said not, “Come and see the Christ,” but with the same condescension by which Christ had netted her she draws the men to Him; “Come,” she saith, “see a Man who told me all that ever I did.” She was not ashamed to say that He “told me all that ever I did.” Yet she might have spoken otherwise, “Come, see one that prophesieth”; but when the soul is inflamed with holy fire, it looks then to nothing earthly, neither to glory nor to shame, but belongs to one thing alone, the flame which occupieth it."
(St. John Chrysostom: Homily XXXIV. - John iv. 28, 29: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.toc.html)

She left her sinful life and immediately preached Christ to her family and community. After Pentecost, she, her five sisters (Anatole, Phota, Photis, Paraskevi, & Kyriaki) and her two sons (Victor, who later was renamed by Christ "Photinos", and Joses) were baptized. They became great preachers of Christ in many different places, including Smyrna in Asia Minor, Carthage in North Africa, and finally in Rome, where they stood up to the Emperor Nero's endless tortures (including beatings, poisonings, blindings, imprisonment, temptations, crucifixion, burning in a furnace, etc.), all while managing to convert one of his Dukes (St. Sebastian), his daughter (St. Anthousa), and his magician (St. Theoklitos), who all were martyred and are celebrated also on this day. Their entire Martyrion is found in the Neon Eklogion by St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, and most of the important details can be found in various places online (http://www.antiochian.org/node/17560, http://home.iprimus.com.au/xenos/photini.html) and are very powerful and moving.

St. Photini and her family in prison, and the martyrdom of her sons, Sts. Photinos and Joses (source)

 
St. Photini is considered a Patron Saint for those repentant and those suffering carnal temptations, for those with physical or spiritual blindness, and for those suffering diseases of the head and trembling disorders. The people of Smyrna in Asia Minor have great love and devotion to the Saint, so much so that they constructed her magnificent Metropolis Church in only 40 days. She has worked and continues to work endless miracles throughout the world by the Grace of Christ.

May we emulate her and her family's glorious example in our sinful lives, as we prepare for Great Lent, Christ's Holy Passion and His Glorious Resurrection.

Icon of selected Saints celebrated on February 26th, including St. Porphyrios of Gaza, St. Photini the Great-Martyr, St. Photo, St. Photis and St. Sebastian the Duke (taken from: http://christopherklitou.com/icon_26_feb_porphyrius_photo_photis_photini_sebastianus.htm)
  

Απολυτίκιο της Αγίας Φωτεινής
Θείω Πνεύματι καταυγασθείσα, και τοις νάμασι, καταρδευθείσα, παρά Χριστού του Σωτήρος, πανεύφημε, της σωτηρίας το ύδωρ κατέπιες, και τοις διψώσι αφθόνως μετέδωσας, Μεγαλομάρτυς και Ισαπόστολε Φωτεινή, Χριστόν τον Θεόν ικέτευε, σωθήναι τας ψυχάς ημών.
  

Apolytikion of St. Photini in the Third Tone
All illumined by the Holy Spirit, thou didst drink with great and ardent longing of the waters Christ Saviour gave unto thee; and with the streams of salvation wast thou refreshed, which thou abundantly gavest to those athirst. O Great Martyr and true peer of Apostles, Photine, entreat Christ God to grant great mercy unto us.

Ἀπολυτίκιο. Ἦχος α’. Τῆς ἐρήμου πολίτης.
Φωτεινὴν καὶ Φωτίδα καὶ Φωτῶ ἀνυμνήσωμεν, σὺν Ἀνατολὴ Φωτεινὸν τὲ Ἰωσὴν θείοις ἄσμασιν, ὁμοὺ Κυριακὴν Παρασκευήν, τοὺς Μάρτυρας Χριστοῦ περιφανεῖς· θείαν χάριν γὰρ αἰτοῦνται καὶ φωτισμόν, τοὶς πίστει ἀνακράζουσι· δόξα τῷ ἐνισχύσαντι ὑμᾶς, δόξα τῷ στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τῷ ἐνεργούντι δι' ὑμῶν πάσιν ἰάματα.
(http://www.synaxaristis.googlepages.com/26%CF%86%CE%B5%CE%B2%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%85)
   

Another Apolytikion of St. Photini and her Family in the First Tone (amateur translation)

Let us praise Photini and Photis and Photo, with Anatoli, Photinos and Joses with divine songs, with Kyriaki, Paraskevi, the radiant Martyrs of Christ, they seek divine grace and illumination for the faithful who cry out, glory to Him Who strengthened you, glory to Him Who crowned you, glory to Him Who grants to us through you healings for all.
  

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Photine the glorious, the crown and glory of the Martyrs, hath this day ascended to the shining mansions of Heaven, and she calleth all together to sing her praises, that they might be recompensed with her hallowed graces. Let us all with faith and longing extol her gladly in hymns of triumph and joy.
(http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=538)
  

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