Orthodox Icon of St. Philothei

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February 19th
Troparion (Tone 5)
The Faithful of Athens and all the world honors Philothei the martyred nun and rejoices in her holy relics. For she has exchanged this passing life for the life that knows no end through her struggle and martyrdom; and she begs the Savior to have mercy on us all.

St. Philothei was born in 1550 and came from a very wealthy family in Athens. She was married and widowed before the age of sixteen. Upon the death of her husband, she returned to her home with her parents and began the work of Christ. She was content only in serving those in need. She became increasingly involved in the community and the Church. When her parents died, St. Philothei was left with a massive amount of wealth. Desiring the monastic life, she left her fortune in the care of others. Several churches and monasteries were built with the money and many more poor were helped. At her own monastery, she taught her fellow nuns crafts. They sold the crafts and thus supplemented their income to help the Church community. During that time, the Turkish Muslims were occupying Greece and trying to pressure the Christians into conversion. Being frustrated with their efforts thus far, they chose to persecute St. Philothei, thinking she was a woman and therefore weak. During a service at St. Andrew's Church, one of the churches Philothei built, the Muslims attacked her and some of her friends. They beat them and dragged them into the street to murder them. St. Philothei was carried away alive, but succumbing to her many wounds, gave up her spirit on February 19, 1589.

This Icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is from St. Michael's Antiochian Orthodox Church, Greensburg, PA.

Order # mgp-03