Galina - Holy Martyr Corinthian

These were the most terrible times for Christians: they underwent persecution by hundreds of thousands, they were tortured by martyrdom. Galina, the holy martyr of Corinth, also suffered in the third century for her faith in Christ. It all started with the fact that once a godly woman Rufina, escaping from such persecutors, fled from Corinth to the mountains and there she gave birth to a baby whom she called Kondrat. After the birth, she died almost immediately.

The Monk Kondrat

By the will of God, the child remained alive and was nurtured by a cloud of sweet dew, which at the right time fell on him. Kondrat spent all his childhood in the desert. When he became an adult, he became acquainted with Christians who shed the light of the true Christian faith on him.

Kondrat learned to write and read, and then achieved excellent success in medical practice. However, all his free time he spent in the desert and in the mountains in complete silence, giving himself to prayer and contemplation. After a few years, his deserted solitude began to be joined by friends, followers and disciples appeared who loved to listen to his spiritual instructions. Among these people were Cyprian, Anect, Dionysius, Paul, Criscent and many others.

Holy Martyr Galina of Corinth

Corinth in size and population was the second city after Athens, it is located in the central part of Greece. There in the first century lived and preached the apostle Paul himself . By the grace of God, Saint Galina was honored to meet with the righteous elder Kondrat, who also led her to faith in Christ.

The time of the wicked Emperor Decius (251) came, which began to hunt down hunts for Christians and executed them if they did not sacrifice pagan gods. By order of the emperor, a cruel warlord, Jason, arrived in Corinth, from which it was impossible to hide to the Christians. Once his people seized the elder Kondrat and all his disciples, among whom was Galina, holy and righteous. All of them were thrown into prison and began to torment, but not waiting for them to renounce Christ, they threw them at the behest of hungry wild predators, but they did not touch them. However, this did not stop the persecutors. And then the bodies of one part of the righteous dragged through the city to the place of execution, tied their legs to chariots, and the enraged crowd, meanwhile, threw stones at them.

Execution

They were brought barely to the place of execution, where they were to be chopped off, the martyrs asked for time for prayer. Then, along the chain, they began to approach the executioner, bowing his head before his sword.

The other students of Kondrat were also martyred. Dionysius was stabbed with a dagger. Victor, Victorin and Nikifor were alive crushed in a huge stone stupa. Claudius was quartered. Diodorus was prepared a fire, in which he himself rushed. Seraphion was chopped off. Leonidas and Papia drowned in the sea.

Righteous wives Galina, Feodor, Kalis, Hariess, Nunechia, Nick, Gali, Vasilisa had the opportunity to take refuge, but in all imitating their teacher (the Monk Kondrat), keeping in his heart and soul all his instructions, they voluntarily went to the penalty with In the name of Jesus Christ.

One legend tells that they were beheaded on March 10 in the old style, and where the execution of the martyrs of Corinth took place, a source of clean water broke through, as a reminder to the city of the heavy suffering and innocent blood spilled.

Another version

According to another legend, the disciples of the elder Kondrat were tortured on April 16 in the old style in 258 under the reign of Emperor Valerian. It happened on Easter. The holy wives together with Saint Leonid were thrown into the sea, but a miracle happened, they did not drown, but began to walk on water, as if on land, and sing divine hymns.

They were followed by a detachment of soldiers on the ship, who, overtaking, tied a heavy burden of stones to the necks of the martyrs and drowned them.

Galina is a holy martyr who brought her cross to God. The days of honoring her memory are celebrated on 10/23 March and 16/29 April.

Righteous Galina

In addition to St. Galina of Corinth, it is necessary to mention the holy righteous Galina - the daughter of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, who was a pagan and a fierce persecutor of Christians.

Her father, she urged to abandon the worship of pagan idols. Galina became a Christian thanks to the miracles, faith and patience of Bishop Harlampy of Magnesia. When he was taken into custody and subjected to martyrdom, she tried to protect him and twice crushed the erected idols in the local Christian church. When St. Harlampios died, she buried his remains. The father did not dare to execute his daughter, so when her term came, she slept peacefully.

Her name in church services is commemorated on February 10 (23).

Icon of St. Galina: value

Every Orthodox Galina in the house probably has its own iconostasis with the Theotokos and Christ the Savior. And often you can see beside the icon of the holy patroness. "Holy Galina" is an icon that is of great importance, since it allows you to enlist a woman with this name with the support of her holy saint and thereby get rid of all worldly difficulties, sufferings and numerous ills. To pray to heavenly helper Galina best in the presence of her icon, which will not lose faith in the Lord, even in the most difficult and critical moments.

In prayer to the Monk Galina resorted, when there are doubts and cowardice, she is also prayed in the conversion of apostates, under persecution. Galina is a saint who patronizes all those who defend truth, faith and truth.