Martyrdom of St. Sophia

On this day we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Sophia. She was not Christian, yet she used to go to the church frequently with her Christian neighbours. As she was longing to become Christian, she went to the Bishop of Manf and he instructed her and baptized her.

Thereupon an accusation was brought against her before Claudianos the Governor that she was baptized. When the Governor questioned her she did not deny it and so he condemned her to severe torture and execution.

She prayed and asked God to forgive the Governor and his soldiers for killing her, bowed her head and was martyred. A Christian lady gave the soldiers a large amount of money, took her body and wrapped it in expensive clothes and kept it in her house. Many wonders happened from her body. On her feast day people used to see a bright light coming out of her body and smelled fine perfume.

When King Constantine the righteous was enthroned and heard the story of Saint Sophia he commanded the transfer of her body to the City of Constantinople. He built a great church in her name in which he laid her body.