The saint is accepted as the patron saint of Bulgaria
Today is the holiday of Saint Petka Bulgarskaalso called Saint Paraskeva. Since the time of the Bulgarian kings, the saint has been a special veneration in our country and is considered the patroness of Bulgaria. Tsar Ivan Alexander swore in her name and on paper in his contract with Venice (1347), where at the end he wrote “in the name of God, St. Mother of God, in the cross, … and in the holy Paraskeva Tarnovska”.
The holiday in honor of the world Petka – Petkovden, is considered the end of summer and autumn, and the active business cycle. The people celebrate Petkovden as the beginning of the winter holidays. Domestic animals are usually fertilized on this day, called the sheep wedding.
Venerable Petka lived at the end of the 10th and the beginning of the 11th century. She was born in the village of Epivat near the city of Kalikratia (Sea of Marmara), and her parents were pious and respected Christians. When she was 10 years old, she heard the voice of Jesus Christ in the temple and from then on dedicated her whole life to faith in him and his teachings.
She left her home and went around the shrines of Constantinople, where she stayed for 5 years. Then she went to Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulcher and settled in the Jordanian desert. She stayed there for many years, like St. Mary of Egypt. Anticipating her death, Saint Petka returned to Epivat and after two years quietly died, leading a solitary life. Since she was unknown in her birthplace, she was buried as a foreigner – outside the city walls of Epivatus.
For many years the grave of the saint was forgotten until she appeared in the dream of two local Christians. In it Saint Petka was in royal robes and surrounded by Christ’s warriors. She asked that the relics be taken out and carried away.
From then on, her imperishable relics were moved many times, including to Bulgaria, until they finally ended up and remain to this day in the Church of the Three Saints in the Romanian city of Iași
Today they celebrate the name day of Petka, Paraskeva, Parashkeva, Petko, Petkana, Penka, Paro, Parun.
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