ST. SOPHIA

Synaxarium

Coptic Date: 5 Thout

Resource:

https://st-takla.org/zJ/index.php/index.php?option=com_katamaros&view=synaxarium-english&dbl=en 

Story

 

On this day St. Sophia became a martyr. She used to go to church with her Christian neighbors and so she became a believer of Christ the Lord. Longing to become Christian, she went to the Bishop of Manufe. He baptized her in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Thereupon an accusation of becoming a Christian was brought against her before Claudianus, the governor. When the governor questioned her, she did not deny it, and so he condemned her to severe tortures. even when he cauterized her joints, she never ceased to cry out, 'I am a Christian.' then the governor commanded to have her tongue cut off and sent her back to prison. He sent his wife unto her to dissuade her, and when she would not be dissuaded, he commanded to have her head cut off. She prayed and asked God to forgive the governor and his soldiers. After her martyrdom, a Christian lady paid off the soldiers and took her body, and sick people were healed by it. On her feast day, very bright lights and incense came out of her holy body. When Constantine heard the story of Saint Sophia during his reign, he carried her body and placed it in a great cathedral he built for her. May her prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.