Saint Photina (Greek Photinia), a Samaritan by birth, a wife at first of a chaotic life and superstitious, and later a blessed holy ascetic and preacher of the true faith.
The Gospel tells us how one day the Lord Jesus Christ came to a city in Samaria called Sychar, where there was a well given by Jacob to his son Joseph and his descendants. Tired from the road, the Lord providentially sat down to rest at the well while His disciples went into the city to buy food. At this time, a certain woman came from the city to fetch water. The Lord asked her to give Him something to drink. The woman was surprised by the request, since the Jews never communicated with the Samaritans.
Jesus said to her: “If you knew who is speaking to you, you yourself would ask Him for a drink, and He would give you living water.” The Samaritan woman was even more surprised: where could Jesus give living water without even having a drawer?
The Lord answered her that those who drink water from the well will thirst again, and the water that He gives will become a source of eternal life. By living water the Lord meant His life-giving teaching, leading to eternal bliss in the Kingdom of God.
The Lord, knowing that the Samaritan woman was cohabiting with a certain husband secretly, in sin, but had an ardent faith in God and a firm expectation of the coming of the Messiah, gradually revealed to her that He, speaking to her, was the expected Christ.
The Gospel does not tell us the name of the Samaritan woman, but the Tradition of the Church has preserved it, and we call her in Greek - Photinia, in Russian - Svetlana, in Celtic languages - Fiona, in other Western languages - Claire. And all these names tell us about one thing: about light. Having met the Lord Jesus Christ, she became a light in a shining world, a light that enlightened those who met her.
The blessed Samaritan woman herself, who was honored to talk with the Lord, suffered for Christ along with her sons and sisters during the persecution of Christians instituted by the Roman Emperor Nero. This fierce persecution lasted from 65 to 68, and during it the holy apostles Peter and Paul suffered in Rome, and the tormentors then began to look for all their followers. At this time, Saint Photina lived in the city of Carthage (now the city of Tunisia), where she and her youngest son Josiah fearlessly preached the Gospel. Meanwhile, the eldest son of Photina, named Victor, fought courageously in the war that the barbarians were waging against the Romans at that time, and at the end of the war, by order of the emperor, he was appointed commander of the troops in the city of Attalia in order to subject the Christians who were there to torture. When the ruler of the city, Sebastian, found out about this, he said to Victor:
Voivode, I know for certain that you are a Christian and that your mother and your brother Josiah are followers of Peter, and therefore you will not fulfill what the emperor commanded you for fear of destroying your soul.
“I am burning with the desire to fulfill the will of the heavenly and immortal King, Christ our God,” Victor answered this, “and I neglect Nero’s command to torture Christians.
Then Sebastian said to Victor:
As a sincere friend, I advise you: submit to the will of the emperor. After all, if you begin to fulfill the royal command with due diligence and subject the Christians whom you manage to find to judicial interrogation and torture, then you will do what is pleasing to the emperor and acquire for yourself the property that belongs to them, and inform your mother and brother in a letter from yourself so that they do not They walked so openly and did not incline the pagans to renounce their fatherly beliefs, but let them secretly confess faith in Christ your God, if they wish that because of them you would not suffer the same torment with them.
“I will never do this,” Victor answered, “and not only will I not do it, but I don’t even want to think about subjecting Christians to torture or forcibly taking anything from them or advising my mother and brother not to preach that Christ there is the true God, but I myself with all my soul want to be a preacher of Christ and will be one just like them.
To this Sebastian said to him:
Oh, Victor! We all know well what disasters await you, your mother and brother.
After these words, Sebastian’s face suddenly flared up, and he fell to the ground from acute and severe pain in his eyes, and completely lost the ability to speak. The servants who were present picked him up and laid him on the bed, and he lay there for three days without saying a single word. And after three days he cried out with a loud voice and said:
One Christian God is the true God, one Christian faith is the true faith and one is baptism - baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is no other true faith except the Christian faith.
Entering Sebastian, Victor asked him:
Why did such a change occur in you so suddenly?
“My dear Victor,” answered Sebastian, “your Christ is calling me to Himself.”
Victor instructed him in the faith, and he accepted holy baptism. Coming out of the font, he suddenly received his sight and glorified God.
Soon after this, a rumor reached Nero that Victor, the commander of the troops in Attalia and the ruler of this city, Sebastian, professed the faith of Peter and Paul and attracted everyone to themselves, convincing them to follow their preaching, and also that the same The mother of Victor Photina and her son Josiah, sent to Carthage by the Apostles, also do this. Having learned about this, the emperor was inflamed with anger and sent soldiers to Attalia so that they would bring the Christian men and women who were in this city to him for judgment. At this time, Christ appeared to the Attalian Christians and said to them: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I will be with you, and Nero will be defeated, and also those who are with him.”
To Victor He said:
From this day on, Photinus will be your name, since many, enlightened by you, will turn to Me.
Christ strengthened Sebastian for the coming suffering with these words:
Blessed is the one who completes his feat to the end.
The Lord said these words and ascended to heaven.
Saint Photina was also notified by Christ of the suffering awaiting her and immediately, accompanied by many Christians, she set off from Carthage to Rome. When she entered Rome, the whole city began to move, and everyone said: “Who is this?” She fearlessly preached the Gospel of Christ. Meanwhile, her son Photina, who formerly bore the name of Victor, was brought to Rome, along with Sebastian and the soldiers taken with them, but Saint Photina warned Victor, having appeared before Nero with her son Josiah and the Christians who had come with her from Carthage. Nero asked the saint:
Why did you come to us?
“In order,” answered Fotina, “to teach you to honor Christ.”
At this time those who were with the emperor said to him:
Mayor Sebastian and governor Victor, who do not believe in gods, came from Attalia.
Let them bring them to me,” Nero commanded. And when they were brought, he asked them:
Is it true what I heard about you?
“Everything that you have heard about us, king,” they answered, “is the true truth.”
Then Nero, turning to the holy women, asked them:
Do you agree to renounce your Christ or do you want to die for Him?
O king! - answered the holy women, turning their gaze to heaven, - it will never happen that we renounce faith in Christ and the love that we have for Him.
What are your names? - asked the emperor.
“I,” answered Saint Photina, “from Christ, my God, received the name Photina, but my sisters are called like this: the first, born after me, is Anastasia, the second
Photo, the third is Photida, the fourth is Paraskeva, and the fifth is Kyriacia, and the names of my sons are as follows: the name of the eldest, who was named Photinus by my Lord, is Victor, and the youngest is Josiah.
So, do you all, - Nero said to this, - agree to undergo torture and die for the Nazarene Christ?
All of us, answered Saint Photina, are ready to die for Him with joy and joy and we all desire this.
Then the emperor ordered the hands of the holy martyrs to be crushed on an anvil. But during the torture, the confessors did not feel pain, and the hands of the martyr Photinia remained unharmed: the tormentors, who chopped off her hands with axes, changed many times and, having no success, fell exhausted, as if dead, and the holy martyr, remaining unharmed by the grace of Christ, She prayed and said: “The Lord is for me - I will not be afraid: what will man do to me?” (Psalm 117:6). After this, Nero began to be at a loss, thinking about what other torment to subject the saints to and, finally, Nero ordered Saints Sebastian, Photinus and Josiah to be blinded and imprisoned, and Saint Photinia with her five sisters - Anastasia, Photo, Photida, Paraskeva and Kyriacia - to be sent to the imperial palace under the supervision of Nero's daughter Domnina. But Saint Photinia converted Domnina and all her slaves, who accepted holy Baptism, to Christ, and also converted the sorcerer to Christ, to whom he once brought a tincture of a poisonous herb for her and her sisters to drink, after which she endured many torments.
When three years had passed after this, Nero once ordered the release of one of his servants, who was among his courtiers, who, by his command, was imprisoned, and those sent for this, seeing the holy martyrs Sebastian, Photinus and Josiah in prison in a healthy state, reported to the emperor , that the blinded Galileans see and are completely healthy, that the prison itself is light, filled with an abundant fragrance and from a place of confinement has become a place for glorifying God and a holy house, that the saints have great wealth in prison, that people gather to them and, having believed in God them, receives baptism from them. Hearing this, Nero was horrified and ordered the saints to be crucified upside down and beaten on their naked bodies with belts for three days. On the fourth day, the emperor sent servants to see if the martyrs were alive. But when they arrived at the place of torture, the messengers immediately became blind. At this time, the Angel of the Lord freed the martyrs and healed them. The saints took pity on the blind servants and, with their prayers to the Lord, restored their sight. Those who received their sight believed in Christ and were soon baptized.
Having believed, they were baptized in the name of Christ our God and became followers of the saints. The wicked Nero, having learned about this, became very angry and ordered the skin to be torn off from Saint Photina. And while the tormentors were carrying out this royal order, the holy martyr sang: “Lord! You have tested me and you know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139:1, 2).
They skinned Saint Photina and threw her into a well. After this, they grabbed Sebastian, Photinus and Josiah, cut off their popliteal bones and threw them along with their knees to the dogs, and then tore off their skin and, by order of the emperor, threw them into a dilapidated stone building. After this, Nero ordered the five sisters of Photina to be brought to him, and ordered their nipples to be cut off, and then their skin to be torn off. When the tormentors approached Saint Photis for this, she did not want any of them to carry out this torture on her, as they did on other holy women, but, standing in the place of torture, she courageously tore off her skin and threw it in her face Nero, so that he himself was amazed at her courage and patience. Then the torturer came up with a new, extremely cruel and deadly torment for Saint Photis. At his command, two trees were bent towards each other in his garden and tied to their tops by the feet of Photis, after which the trees were released, and the holy martyr was torn apart by them. So she gave up her righteous and blessed soul to God. After this, the wicked Nero ordered all the other holy martyrs to cut off their heads with the sword, and Saint Photina, taken out of the well, was imprisoned, where she remained for twenty days. Having then ordered her to be brought to him, Nero asked her if she would now submit to him and, having repented of her stubbornness, would not make sacrifices to idols. Then Saint Photina spat in his face and, laughing at his madness and stupid mind, said:
O most wicked blind, deluded and insane man! Do you really consider me so unreasonable that I would agree to renounce my Lord Christ and sacrifice to blind idols like you!?
Hearing such words, Nero ordered Saint Photina to be thrown into the well again. And when this was accomplished, the holy martyr gave up her soul to God and, wearing a martyr’s crown, eternally rejoices in the Kingdom of Heaven along with all who suffered with her.
The Holy Martyr Photinia is revered by our people as a healer of fever. In many villages and cities of our homeland, prayers are served for those who suffer from this disease. It is not uncommon for patients to make a vow to paint or purchase an icon of the Holy Martyr Photinia.
It is very difficult to determine why Saint Photinia is the healer of this severe disease, but the legend says that Saint Photinia healed the governor Sebastian of some illness, during which he: “His face burned and fell to the ground from the potion of a great and fierce illness.” Maybe it was a fever.
However, the people could also attach importance to the fact that the Savior spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, and thanks to this, Saint Photinia could, in the opinion of the people, receive from the Lord power and strength over the entire water element, in which, according to popular views, this nests terrible disease.
The Church of the Holy Martyr Photinia (Svetlana) is located in one of the most picturesque places in the Dnepropetrovsk region on the banks of the Dnieper at the famous Dnieper rapids, in the village of Dibrova, Sinelnikovsky district. It is no coincidence that this village bears this name. Even before the construction of the Zaporozhye hydroelectric power station, an oak grove (oak grove) grew on the banks of the Dnieper and people called this place “paradise on earth.” In this church there is an icon of the Holy Martyr Photinia with a piece of her relics, at which a prayer service for health is constantly (every Wednesday of the week) with the blessing of Metropolitan Irenaeus of Dnepropetrovsk and Pavlograd. Also in our church there is kept a particle from the relics of St. Lawrence of Chernigov, the wonderworker.
The Samaritan woman did not come to the well for spiritual reasons: she simply came, as she came every day, to draw water, and met Christ. Each of us can meet Christ at every step of life, for example, when we are busy with everyday affairs, we need our heart to be set correctly if we are ready to meet Christ, accept the blessing, hear - and ask questions. The Samaritan woman asked Christ questions: and what she heard in response was so superior to her questions that she recognized Him as a prophet, and then recognized Him as Christ, the Savior of the world. This is what the Samaritan woman teaches us all: so that at every moment of our life, during the simplest activities, we should be so open as to accept the Divine word, to be purified by His purity, to be enlightened by the Divine light and to accept Him into the depths of our hearts, to accept the God of all our life, so that people seeing who we have become can see that Light has come into the world. Let us pray to the Samaritan woman that she would teach us, lead us by the hand to Christ, as she herself came to Him, and serve Him, as she served him, becoming salvation for everyone who was around her.
2.04.2013
Svetlana's birthday
Today is April 2nd for my wife Svetlana’s “small name day”. She celebrates her Angel Day on November 16, since she was honored to be born on October 4. Understanding how name days differ from birthdays, it is easy to understand the difference in how they should be celebrated. Angel Day has a deep spiritual meaning, because it is the day of remembrance of your patron saint.
As the holy righteous John of Kronstadt taught, we remember our saints, so that they too “remembered and interceded for us before God... Our birthdays and name days should come before all other weekdays, turn our hearts and eyes to heaven, with grateful feelings to the Creator, Provider and Savior, with the thought that our fatherland is there and Father, that the earth is not a fatherland, but a place of arrival and wandering, that to cleave to perishable things is reckless, sinful... it is contrary to God, that one must cleave to God with all the heart.”
On name day, Orthodox people must come to church, confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. And they prepare for this in advance.
Of course, there are no obstacles to having a festive meal with your closest people on Angel’s Day. But this should be a quiet celebration, calm communication, filled with spiritual joy. By the way, if your name day falls during fasting time, then the table should also be fast. And during Lent, name day celebrations are moved from weekdays to the nearest Saturday or Sunday.
It must be said that the tradition of celebrating name days, of course, already existed in pre-revolutionary Russia, and in ancient Rus', and in any Christian country. But over many years of unbelief, she was forgotten. By returning to churches, receiving Baptism, and again turning to the commemoration of saints, we are restoring the tradition of celebrating name days. This means that we have many opportunities, but we also have a great responsibility: after all, how we get used to behaving on this day, what we teach our children to do, will be fixed in the next generations.
Therefore, as our spiritual mentors advise, we must fill this holiday with quiet, bright joy every time. It is better to prepare for it in advance - buy gifts, choose a festive outfit, and, most importantly, prepare for Communion.
One day I asked the priest: “What can you give that will please the birthday boy and at the same time nourish his soul?”
The answer was simple and clear. “To do this, it’s better to go to an icon shop. There, after consulting and looking around, choose a gift according to the occasion, your taste and income. The first thing that comes to mind is the name icon. But there are other options. For example, vessels for holy water, shelves for icons, beautiful candles of various shapes. And, of course, it will be very interesting for the birthday boy to read a good book of spiritual content, watch an Orthodox film, listen to church music...
If we are talking about children’s name days, then the best gift would still be an icon. Moreover, if funds allow, you can order it from icon painters. The protection and blessing of the patron saint, and at the same time the parental blessing - this is what such an icon will become for your heir.”
And I also heard that in recent years people are increasingly remembering a custom that has existed since ancient times in Rus' - making a “measured” icon for a child. So you chose a name for your baby and measured his height. For example, Svetlana was born to you, fifty-one centimeters tall. Based on this “measurement” you order an icon - the martyr Photinia, an icon fifty-one centimeters high. Such a wonderful gift for christening day!
We want to repeat moments of joy again and again, and this tradition will easily enter our lives.
“Small name days” are also a special day in the life of a Christian. It is not so solemn, a holiday is unlikely to be appropriate here, but visiting the temple on this day is also necessary.
SVETLANA(PHOTINIA, FOTINA, FATINA, FITINYA, KHOTINA).
Slavic name “bright and harmonious; bright soul” combination of light + Lana. The female version of the Russian male name Svetlan, from the word “svetl”. In Greek it corresponds to the name Photina. The name was invented and first used by Vostokov in the romance “Svetlana and Mstislav” (1802). The name gained wide popularity after the poet Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky published his ballad “Svetlana”.
Derivatives: Sveta, buy propecia online Svetonka, Svetochka, Candle, Svetik, Svetachka, Svetulya, Svetlanka, Svetlanochka, Svetunya, Svetusya, Svetusha, Veta, Lana, Svetka, Svetusik.
Name days:
February 26 – Venerable Svetlana (Photinia).
April 2–Martyr Svetlana (Photina) Samaritan.
November 16 – Martyr Svetlana (Photinia).
The Orthodox Church baptizes all Svetlanas with the name Photinia or the name Photina in honor of the Venerable Photinia. The name Svetlana is usually shortened in Russia to "Svet". In Western Europe and English-speaking countries it is shortened to "Lana". The name Svetlana is one of the most beautiful and popular names in Slavic countries.
Saint Photina was a Samaritan by birth, a wife at first of a disorderly life and superstitious, and later a holy ascetic and preacher of the true faith. She was the same wife with whom Jesus Christ talked with the student Jacob. She had two sons, Victor, renamed Photinus and Josiah, and five sisters: Anatolia, Photo, Photida, Paraskeva and Kyriacia.
The Gospel tells us how one day the Lord Jesus Christ came to a city in Samaria called Sychar, where there was a well given by Jacob to his son Joseph and his descendants. Tired from the road, the Lord providentially sat down to rest at the well while His disciples went into the city to buy food. At this time, a certain woman came from the city on the water. The Lord asked her to give Him something to drink. The woman was surprised by the request, because... Jews never interacted with Samaritans. Jesus said to her: if you knew who is speaking to you, you yourself would ask Him for a drink, and He would give you living water. The Samaritan woman was even more surprised, where could Jesus give living water without even having a drawer?
The Lord answered her that those who drink water from the well will thirst again, and the water that He gives will become a source of eternal life. By living water the Lord meant His life-giving teaching, leading to eternal bliss in the Kingdom of God.
Then the Lord, knowing that the Samaritan woman, although cohabiting secretly in sin, had an ardent faith in God and a firm expectation of the coming of the Messiah, gradually revealed to her that He, speaking to her, was the expected Christ. Then the Samaritan woman threw down her jug in joy and ran into the city to invite her fellow citizens to come to Christ, and according to her testimony, many Samaritans then believed in Him.
The blessed Samaritan woman herself, who was worthy to converse with the Lord, suffered for Christ, together with her sons and sisters, during the persecution of Christians launched by the Roman Emperor Nero. This fierce persecution lasted from 65 to 68, and during it the holy apostles Peter and Paul suffered in Rome, and the tormentors then began to look for all their followers. At this time, Saint Photina lived in the city of Carthage (now the city of Tunisia), where she and her youngest son Josiah fearlessly preached the Gospel, and her eldest son Victor was in the Roman army that fought against the barbarians. After the war, Victor was appointed commander of the troops in the city of Attalia, where he led many to Christ, including the ruler of the city, Sebastian.
When Nero was informed that in Attalia Victor and Sebastian professed the faith of Peter and Paul and were planting Christianity there, and that Photina and Josiah, sent there by the holy apostles, were doing the same in Carthage, Nero became very angry and summoned everyone to trial in Rome. Photina appeared in Rome, accompanied by many Christians, including her five sisters - Anastasia, Photo, Fotida, Paraskeva and Kyriacia; they all expected martyrdom, about which they were informed in advance by the appearance of Christ Himself to them. By order of Nero, they were all subjected to cruel torture, especially Saint Photina, but by the grace of God they did not feel any pain and remained unharmed. Then Nero, not knowing what else to do with them, ordered Victor, Josius and Sebastian to be blinded and thrown into prison, and Photina and her five sisters were sent under the supervision of Nero’s daughter Domnina. Photina converted Domnina and all her slaves to Christ.
The holy martyrs remained in prison for three years. One day Nero remembered them and sent his servants to check on them. Returning from prison, the servants reported to the emperor that the blinded Galileans saw and were completely healthy, that the prison itself was light, filled with an abundant fragrance, and from a place of confinement had become a place for glorifying God and a holy house, that many people were gathering to the saints and receiving baptism from them. Hearing all this, Nero was horrified and furious, and ordered the holy men to be crucified upside down and beaten with belts until their bodies disintegrated, which was done, and then left to hang for three days. On the fourth day, the servants sent by the emperor came to see if the martyrs were still alive, and when they saw them still alive, they immediately went blind. At this time, an angel of God came down from heaven, untied the saints and made them completely healthy. Then the saints prayed over the blinded royal servants and they received their sight. Having believed, they were baptized and became followers of the holy martyrs.
Nero, having learned about this, became very angry and called Photina to him, ordering her to be skinned and thrown into a well. Then he ordered her five sisters to be brought and flayed from them too, and after that he ordered all the martyrs to have their heads cut off. Saint Photina was taken out of the well and tortured for a long time, persuading her to sacrifice to idols, but Photina spat in the emperor’s face and laughed at him, for which she was again thrown into the well, where she gave up her soul to God.
The memory of the holy martyr Photina (Svetlana) Samaritan is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on March 20/April 2. They pray to her for various ailments and fever.
In addition to the history of the name Svetlana, many will be interested to know its interpretation.
Main features of name interpretation: lightness, activity, receptivity.
Zodiac and horoscope name: Aquarius.
Planet: Neptune.
Name color: blue.
Stone, talisman: rhinestone.
Favorable plant: tree, lily.
Patron name: white hare.
Happy day: Saturday.
Happy time of year: winter.
Interpretation of the name
Svetochka is a very inquisitive child; she explores every corner of the apartment and discovers new objects with delight. She is growing up as a sociable, cheerful child who loves games. She has a rather cool attitude towards schoolwork, but she has a wonderful memory, an active mind, she quickly and easily, although not deeply, assimilates information, answers cheerfully in class - there are practically no problems with her academic performance. However, Sveta may become especially interested in some subject, then she studies it deeply, thoroughly, and it can subsequently become the basis for her in her professional activities.
Sveta is fascinated by films about love, she reads a lot, especially books on her favorite subject, and enjoys going to the theater and concerts of her favorite pop singers.
Sveta is a good organizer, the initiator of all activities in the class, she is active, loves to command, and is confident in her right to do so. But there is no cunning in her, she does everything sincerely. Svetlana is very receptive - whatever values were instilled in her by her parents will be the main ones for her. But most often she is self-made, independent, hardworking, and adapts well to life.
The adult Svetlana is all woven from contradictions: she is kind to people and knows how to hurt them like no one else, she is selfless, but will not miss her goal, she knows exactly what she needs, she chose the right path, but at the most important moment she turned away from the right direction.
Svetlana is very neat; she has been taking care of her appearance since childhood. She is always dressed in fashion, and this does not depend on her financial condition, on the contrary: difficulties activate her imagination, from two old dresses she will sew herself a breathtaking new one.
Svetlana is capable, if necessary now, of dramatically changing her views, intentions, retraining, and completely changing her profession. Svetlana finds herself in many areas of activity, most often she is a teacher, engineer, doctor, notary, accountant, psychologist, television worker. Svetlana can make a dizzying career.
Svetlana is very attractive, but cautious; she will marry in full confidence in the feelings and material capabilities of the applicant. But her fate is not always good, although opportunities arise from time to time.
Svetlana is sociable and sociable, loves to attract attention, loves to be liked. Life without men seems dull and inexpressive to her.
Svetlana is a very diligent housewife in the family; she strives to create comfort and makes preparations for the winter. A very caring mother, she considers it necessary to give her children a good education. Everything in the house is in its place, my husband always has clean shirts, a three-course meal during any crisis. She is faithful to her husband and is friends with her mother-in-law.
Svetlana is emotional, prone to fun and easy communication. Arguing with Sveta is the same as arguing with the wind, since Lana’s emotions always prevail over logic, and it’s easier to interest her by appealing to her soul.
Asked by: Svetlana, St. Petersburg
Answered by: Site Editor
Svetlana was born on September 3, 1995. November 16 is the day of the patron saint - the martyr Photinia, that is, her name day. Orthodox websites provide information that the life of this saint is unknown. There is no image of her either. How is this even possible? And what can you offer in this situation?
Hello, dear Svetlana!
In the calendar (an index of the memory of saints by day of the year), only two saints with the name Photinia (Svetlana) are indicated. These are the Venerable Photinia (Svetlana) of Palestine, whose memory is celebrated on February 26 (or February 13 according to the Old Style) and the martyr Photina (Svetlana) of Samaritan, whose memory is celebrated on April 2 (or March 20 according to the Old Style). Regarding the issue of Orthodox websites, you should be careful and try to check with books approved for publication by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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Name Day is considered an old tradition in Orthodox Christianity. This is the day when the memory of the saint is revered, whose name was given at birth and the sacrament of baptism to a person. Each name has its own name day date, and it can be viewed in the Orthodox calendar.
The Slavic name Svetlana appeared in the 18th century in Russia. Thanks to its melody and pleasant sound, it quickly gained popularity. And it became especially famous after Zhukovsky’s ballad “Svetlana”. The name Svetlana means “bright”. At baptism, Svetlana is given the name Photinia or Photina, as it sounds in Greek.
Character of the birthday girl
Svetlanas are very bright and active. They strive to always and everywhere be in time. At the same time, they try not to delve into specifics and are guided by global information. Sveta’s environment is very important. The right approach to education and a favorable environment will motivate her to new achievements. If this is not provided, Svetlana will easily succumb to any negative influence.
In her family life, Sveta is a very caring wife and mother. They know how to be diplomatic, so they maintain good relations with all relatives.
Often women with this name exaggerate their abilities and capabilities. They love to be flirtatious and attract the attention of the men around them.
Svetlana's name day according to the Orthodox calendar
It will not be possible to find the name Svetlana in the calendar according to the calendar. According to the church calendar, Angel Svetlana's Day is celebrated on the days of veneration of St. Photina. The table below shows the dates on which date all Svetlanas should celebrate Angel Day. There are only three such days throughout the year.
The closest name day date to Svetlana’s birthday is considered the day of the angel. The remaining days are usually called small name days. On such days, you should thank your patroness, pray to her and go to church.
May the Lord protect you!
Watch also the video about Svetlana’s Angel Day:
The history of the Orthodox religion knows many examples of people who suffered severe hardships and torment for the sake of spirituality and affirmation of faith. One of these is Photinia, a saint who preached Christianity at the dawn of its path, during times of severe persecution. The famous ascetic has repeatedly demonstrated the miracles of prayer and converted thousands of people to faith. Believers still turn to her image with requests for help and healing from serious illnesses. 
Parable of Living Water
There is a chapter in the Gospel of John that tells about Christ’s meeting with the Samaritan woman. In those distant times, Jews and Samaritans (settlers from Mesopotamia) lived in cold hostility. Preaching the Gospel, Jesus traveled through the Samaritan lands. Stopping near the city of Sychar, he wanted to drink water from Jacob's well. Just at that moment a young woman approached. It was Photinia (angel day - April 2, new style). Christ asked her for help, which greatly surprised the woman, because he was a Jew. Jesus answered her that if she knew who she was talking to, she would have asked Him for living water, which would become the source of eternal life. Christ spoke about the Christian faith. He also told the details of her life, pointed out her sins, and Photinia immediately recognized Him as a prophet. She returned to the city of Samaria and told everyone about the coming of the Savior, after which many Samaritans believed in the Messiah and turned to the Christian faith.
Emperor Nero
After this significant meeting, Photinia (Svetlana) went to Carthage (North Africa) to preach Christianity there. Despite the persecution of the pagans, she did this openly, fearlessly and selflessly. When the apostles Paul and Peter were killed, Jesus appeared to her in a dream and ordered her to go to Rome, to Emperor Nero, to continue the spiritual path of her predecessors. Together with five sisters, the ascetic set about fulfilling the mission. At that time there was severe persecution of Christians in Rome. Arriving at the palace, Photinia and her sisters were captured by the pagans. Nero ordered the women's hands to be cut off. But no matter how hard the guards tried, they could not do this; they themselves fell to the ground, writhing in pain. And the wounds that they managed to inflict on them immediately disappeared.
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Temptation of Photinia
Then the cunning and arrogant Nero, not wanting to believe in Christ, decided to tempt Photinia and her companions. He settled her in the palace, treated her to delicious, exquisite dishes, and surrounded her with a hundred slaves to serve her. The emperor’s daughter, Domina, was also there. Forty days later, he visited Photinia and was very surprised when he learned that all the slaves around her, including his daughter, had converted to Christianity.
The enraged Nero ordered Photinia to be flayed and then thrown into a dry well. The same fate befell the sisters of the martyr. A few days later, Photinia was taken out of the well; she was still alive and did not renounce her faith. Then she was locked in prison for another 20 days. And again Nero summoned her to his palace, but even then he did not get her to bow down and accept paganism. Photinia just laughed and spat in his face. After which she was thrown into the well again.
This is how the martyr Photinia ended her earthly life. Before her death, the saint did not renounce Christ, amazing the pagans with miracles of prayer. She was numbered among the holy great martyrs, who still patronize those in need and those who doubt their faith. 
Icon
The Gospel story about the meeting of the Savior and Photinia has been reflected more than once in fine art. Examples are the fresco in the church house of Dura Europos, made around the 3rd century (only the figure of the Samaritan woman has survived to this day), and the mosaic in the Ravenna church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (around the 6th century).
The memory of Saint Svetlana lives on in icon painting. The most ancient icons depicting the martyr date back to the 19th century. It is believed that her images help people strengthen their spirit, overcome the temptations of sin, and gain the firmness of faith that Photinia once brought to the Samaritans. Her icon patronizes not only women named Svetlana, but also all those who suffer.
Saint Svetlana protects mental and physical health. Her image in the house is the key to a strong family, prosperity and understanding between generations, protection from evil intentions and deeds.
Christian legends claim that upon meeting the Savior, Saint Photinia received power over the water element. Therefore, she managed to survive when she was thrown into a well by the Roman pagans, and heal people with fever. Saint Svetlana helps people with a similar illness. 
Prayer
Photinia had two sons - Josius (Joseph) and Victor. The first helped his mother in preaching the Gospel, the second was a Roman military commander. They also had hardships and temptations of faith in their lives. However, their mother’s wise guidance and prayer helped them overcome all this. Today, turning with sincere faith to the image of the great martyr, many mothers find consolation and resolution of problems with their children. Saint Photinia (prayer to her inspires believers and gives them confidence in their own abilities) teaches not to be afraid of difficulties. Therefore, you can turn to her with prayer not only on the days of remembrance, but every day:
“Pray to God for me, holy saint of God, great martyr Photinia, as I diligently resort to you, an ambulance and prayer book for my soul.”
Miracles of Healing
There are cases when appeals to the image of Photinia helped to recover from serious diseases of the skin, musculoskeletal system, and to overcome fever. Today, her image reminds believers that they need to do good and believe with all their souls, despite all trials.
When the Roman executioners tortured the martyr, thanks to the power of prayer she remained unharmed, her wounds healed quickly and without a trace. With her life, Saint Photinia proved that miracles are possible when you believe in them and, with the power of faith, you create them yourself.
Holy places
The biblical story of the meeting of Christ and the Samaritan woman Photinia has real geographical confirmation. In Israel, one of the most beautiful and picturesque places that attracts thousands of pilgrims is Jacob's Well (Jacob). Next to it is an ancient temple, which was destroyed three times and rebuilt again. The well itself reaches 40 meters in depth. The water from it is considered healing.
The relics of Photinia the Samaritan are kept on the island of Crete, in the village of Fodele, in the convent named after the Great Martyr. Streams of pilgrims flock here every year to strengthen their faith and ask for help in resolving spiritual problems.
On the territory of the CIS there are many churches of St. Photinia, where her Christian feat is revered and miraculous images are located. One of these is the Church of the Great Martyr in Dnepropetrovsk.
Photinia Palestine
In Christian sources there is a story about another ascetic of the faith with the name Photinia (angel day - February 26, new style). She was from Caesarea, so she received the prefix Palestine. During a storm, the ship on which she was sailing with other passengers was wrecked. Clinging to the board, Photinia was the only one who escaped and swam to the island where Blessed Martinian was in prayer and fasting. He converted the woman to the Christian faith and left the island. Three times a year a ship visited the island and brought food. Photinia of Palestine remained to live on the rock and continued Martinian’s asceticism. She spent six years in fasting and prayer, and then she died and was buried in her native Caesarea.
Saint Photinia (her life dates back to the 5th century) helps people find faith, improve mental and physical health, and also patronizes sailors.
Photinia Cyprus
There is another legend about Photinia of Cyprus. Her life dates back to approximately the 15th century. She was born in Karpasia (eastern Cyprus) into a pious family. In her youth, she decided to become the bride of Christ and left her father's house. Photinia settled in a cave, devoting herself to fasting and prayers. Soon the virgin was filled with the grace of God and began to perform miracles of healing. The news of this spread throughout the island and beyond. Many Christians turned to her for advice and to maintain spiritual strength.
Today, the cave in which Saint Photinia once labored is a place of pilgrimage. There is a throne and a deep spring in it, and the liturgy is read. Every new moon, water with a thin film of sand rises in the source. It is believed that water provides healing from many diseases, and sand is smeared on the eyes of the blind to gain insight. The cave is located near the Cypriot village of Agios Andronikos. And the relics of the ascetic herself are placed in the Church of the Apostle Andrew. The saint's memorial day falls on August 2 (new style). 
Thus, there are three days a year when all Svetlanas celebrate their name day. But this is not an ordinary holiday, but a day of remembrance of the patron saint, deep in a spiritual sense. Here the matter is not limited to feasts and gifts. According to Christian tradition, on the day of St. Photinia-Svetlana, they go to church, confess, and partake of the Holy Mysteries. They also turn with a grateful prayer to the Lord and patroness.
Saint Photinia (Samaritan) is also remembered in the fifth week of Easter. At this time, the liturgy is read, prayers of thanks and praise are offered for the martyrdom in the name of the Christian faith.