The Day of Sofia
On September the 17th we celebrate the Day of Sofia and honor the Christian celebration of Holy Martyrs Sofia and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love.
Sofia means wisdom. Wisdom that draws its strength from Faith, Hope and Love and donated them to the world…
Legend says…
The story says that during the second half of the first century a pious woman lived in Rome, she was a Christian, named Sofia. She had three daughters who wore the names of Christian virtues – Faith, Hope and Love.
The mother and her daughters did not hide their faith in Christ and confessed it openly. But that did not appeal to the Emperor Hadrian (117-138). He ordered to bring them immediately to him.
When standing in front of the emperor, everyone present was amazed at how calm they seemed as if to have called them at a celebration not a torture.
Adrian tried to persuade them to offer a sacrifice to the goddess Artemis, but the girls – Faith was 12 years old, Hope – 10, and Love – 9 – remained adamant. Then the emperor ordered them tortured brutally. Their mother was forced to watch the inhuman torture and suffering of her children, but she manifested unusual strength.
Unable to bear the torture, the girls died, and the emperor allowed the mother to take the bodies of her daughters to bury them. Three days after the death of her children, the mother died and was also buried with them.
Church honors Saint Sofia as a martyr, because as a mother she lived with her heart the horrible tortures of her beloved daughters. The relics of the Holy Martyrs Sofia, Faith, Hope and Love rest since 777 in Alsace, France.
Interesting facts from the history of the city of Sofia
Sofia is a city with 7,000 years of history, which is unique in Europe as one of the cities with the most ancient past. In the center of the city today are found objects from the Neolithic human remains from the Stone and Bronze Age. It is believed that the reason for the settlement of ancient people to this place are the hot mineral springs that abound in Sofia field. Most are in today’s center – near the old mineral baths, around the Presidency, in Lozenets, in Gorna Banya and Knyazhevo.
The first tribes that inhabited the field is the Thracian tribe Serdi. They gave the first name of the city – Serdika. About 500 years BC the Odrisses settle down here, known as ethnicity, which founded its own kingdom. For a short time in the IV century BC the town became the possession of Philip and his son Alexander the Macedonian. Only in ’29 AD, the city was conquered by the Roman legions during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117) and became the center of an administrative area. Its name has been changed to Ulpia Serdika and is the central city in the area. Towers, walls, baths, administrative and religious buildings, civic basilica and bulevteriona (large amphitheater) were built in the city. In the II century it became the center of the province of Lower Dacia, grew for about a century and a half, so rightly Emperor Constantine the Great has called Serdika “my Rome”. The town is small in scale, but magnificent as urban planning and architecture, rich entertainment and social life. A new heyday Serdika gets under Emperor Justinian, when it has been surrounded by massive walls, parts of which can be seen today.
Lets celebrate the Day of Sofia…
Day of the Holy Martyrs Sofia, Faith, Hope and Love was declared the Sofia city’s holiday with a decision of Sofia Municipal Council on March 25, 1992. On September the 17th – Day of Sofia – Bulgarian capital becomes a colorful palette of events and festivals that continue throughout the month. Today, in front of the Saint Sofia Church will take place the official ceremony of raising the flag of the city and solemn ceremony. How we celebrate in the festive Day of Sofia and other interesting events until the end of the month you could see here.
