ST. PARASKEVE

In the history of the Orthodox Church, there are three persons having the name of St. Paraskeve. The oldest among them was born in Rome in the 2nd century, and she is considered the healer and protector of cattle and crops. Her Celebration Day is August 8th. Then, there is the Saint with the same name from Iconia by origin, who died during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century and who is celebrated on October 27th mostly in Dalmatia. The third St. Paraskeve, the youngest but most often celebrated among them in these regions, is the one who lived at the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th century. She was born in Epivat, which was a Serbian territory then, so it is supposed that she was of the Serbian origin. Her name has several variations: St. Paraskeve of Tirnovo, St. Paraskeve the Serbian, St. Paraskeve of Belgrade, St. Paraskeve the New, St. Paraskeve the Younger and St. Paraskeve of the Balkans.