The Orthodox Church honors the sisters today Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sofia. The girl saints died in agony during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in 126.
On today’s holiday, many houses knead bread and distribute grapes and other fruits for health, happiness and love. Today is also the holiday of the capital Sofia, whose name means wisdom in translation.
The lives of the four saints tell that Sophia was a good and wise woman who had three daughters. She gave her children the names of the most important virtues – Faith, Hope and Love. The girls were born in Rome during the years when the authorities persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ. However, the mother and daughters did not hide the faith they professed. When Emperor Hadrian ordered them brought to him, Faith was 12 years old, Nadezhda was 10, and Love was 9 years old.
They stood before Emperor Hadrian calm and serene. The emperor asked them to make a sacrifice to the Roman goddess Artemis (Diana), promising that he would let them return in peace. The girls refused. Hadrian then ordered them to be tortured until they broke. The children died in agony, and their bodies were handed over to Sofia. She buried them on a hill outside the city, but did not go home, but remained at their grave. After three days the mother died, believing that her soul was going to her beloved children.
Faith, Hope and Love are declared patrons of children because they themselves suffered as children. Since 777, the relics of the holy martyrs Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love have rested in Alsace, France.
Today, Vera, Vyara, Verka, Lyuba, Lyubka, Lyubov, Lyuben, Lubomir, Lubozar, Lyubinka, Lyuboslav, Lyubomira, Nada, Nadka, Nadia, Nadezhda, Nadelina, Sevda, Sevdalin, Sofia are celebrating their name day.
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