St. Paraskeve (more popularly called by her worldly name, Petka, or Petka-Paraskeva) was born in the first half of the 11^th century in Epivat (now Turkey) on the shore of the Sea of Marmora, near the imperial city of Constantinople. At the time Epivat was part of the Serbian territory, so it is supposed that she was of Serbian origin. Petka was born to a christian family, well-known for their charitable deeds.

One day in church upon hearing the Gospel reading, Petka was so impressed by its words that when she left the church after the service, she gave away her good dress to a poor woman on the street, exchanging it for the woman's rags. This act of charity was repeated several times after that. When she was scolded by her parents, she replied that she could not live otherwise. Petka thought that being a disciple of Christ meant that hearing the Divine Word was not sufficient, one had to act on it.

After her parents death, Petka went to Constantinople. There she met some zealous ascetics who instructed her in the spiritual life. Settling in an isolated place outside the city, she spent five years in concentrated prayer and fasting before making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she had long desired to venerate those places where Christ had lived and walked. Yearning to withdraw still further from the world and its distractions, she crossed the River Jordan and remained for five years in a monastery in the desert.

One night She was called by an angel of God to return to home. Back in her native town of Epivat, St. Petka lived for another two years in asceticism. she passed away at only 25 years of age. She was given a Christian burial, but as no one knew who she was or where she was from, she was buried in an unmarked grave. Her story was revealed and her uncorrupt body was discovered some 200 years later. The relics were taken to the church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, where, by the prayers of the holy ascetic, many people were healed of various diseases and the blind received their sight.

(Left) Icon of St. Petka-Pareskeva (Right) St. Petka-Paraskeva, St. George the Theologian, St. John Chrysostom and Basil the Great

Due to historical circumstances-the Crusades and the belligerent expansion of the Ottoman Empire -the relics of St. Petka-Paraskeva did not remain in Epivat. They were transferred several times for safe-keeping, first to Tirnovo, Bulgaria; then to Belgrade, Serbia, and Constantinople. On October 14, 1641, they were given as a gift to the Count of Moldavia, Romania, Vasile Lupu, in gratitude for his support of the Ecumenical Patriarchy of Constantinople. Her still intact relics have remain in the Church of the Three Hierarchs in the Moldavian capital of Jassy to this day. Her patron saint day is celebrated on October 27^th (or October 14^th by the old Orthodox calendar)

Wood carving of St. Petka-Pareskeva