Saint Parasceva

[Daniel Hoseiny]

Praise be to God for you, o virgin-martyr Parasceva,
You bravely faced the Antoninus' wrath.
Praiseworthy champion of Christian era,
You've defeated Lucifer, the enemy of God

You are the pious daughter of God-fearing parents,
Who championed the cause of the poor.
They passed you love for virtue and with talents
You spread the holy Gospel in the neighborhood .

Refusing worldly luxury and happy marriage,
You joined community of virgins, early nuns.
And selling property, you shared the monetary baggage
With orphans, widows, poor and needy ones.

Inflamed by jealousy, demonic envy,
The wicked ones informed the king about you.
By pain he threatened you to torture very heavy,
By flattery he tried to entice you so many times anew.

Respect the state religion and the law, they ordered you
By sacrificing to the idols incense, blood and meat.
And then they put to torture you, but this is what you had in view.
Not any scream did utter you, so full of strength and grit.

Enraged by disobedience of you,
The emperor beheaded those who had converted,
In boiling tar and oil throwing you
Where you remained alive, like in a well comforted.

In unbelief he did approach to see and ponder,
O, sprinkle me with boiling oil, he appointed.
He lost his sight, not able to behold the light.
He begged for mercy you, received it and rejoiced.

And then the evil emperor to Christ converted
Along with whole his royal entourage.
He set you free and to your mission you reverted,
Elsewhere in the domain proclaiming Jesus' holy name.

And then theomachist Aurelius ascended to the throne
And by Asclepius to giant serpent you were thrown,
But by the sign of Cross he was completely blown,
And by your faith All-Mighty threw demons down.

You glorified the Blessed One with heroism and feats.
There are some more of Parascevi's noble deeds.
And by Tarasius of her the earth was at the end bereaven,
But now she enjoys eternal life of the Existing One in Heaven.

Life of saint Parasceva, short story: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2038/07/26/102096-martyr-paraskevi-of-rome
Longer version: https://svparaskeva.com/%D0%B6%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B5/?lang=en

She is commemorated on July 26 according to Eastern-orthodox tradition.