Saint Christina

July 24th
Troparion (Tone 5)
Thou didst abandon thy father's error and receive divine illumination as a glorious virgin betrothed to Christ. Thou didst bravely struggle and destroy the enemy, O great Martyr Christina, and dost ever pray that we may receive great mercy.

Christina was given her name by her pagan parents. Her father, Urban, the imperial governor of Tyre locked her away in a high tower at age 11, as he feared for her safety due to her great beauty. He gave her slaves and gold and silver idols for her to make sacrifice to. Christina looked out the windows of her tower by day and night and saw the glorious handiwork of God in the heavens, and came to believe in the One True God. God, in his mercy, sent an angel to her, who signed her with the sign of the Cross and named her the bride of Christ. He instructed her in the faith of Christ. She smashed all of the idols in her room. Her enraged father had her tried and tortured. She was sentenced to be beheaded the next day, but that night, Urban died of no apparent illness. His successor, Dion, continued the interrogation and torture of this courageous maiden. Many pagans in Tyre were converted by her patient suffering and the miracles performed through her prayers. While she was being tortured, Dion fell dead in the middle of the crowd. His successor, Julian, foolishly continued the torture and had Christina's breasts and tongue cut off. She threw her tongue in the governor's face and he was blinded instantly. Her sufferings were ended under a sharp sword. She bore powerful witness for Christ in the 3rd century.

This icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is from St. Michael's Antiochian Orthodox Church, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Order # mgp-13

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