Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/163

ST. PHOTINA 151 was killed by her &ther, at the age of twelve. AA.SS. Orseeo-Slav. Calendar. St. Phink. Possibly same as Fin- OANA, an Irish or Scotch V. 6th or 8th century. There was once a chapel of St. Phink at Bendochy, near Cupar in Angus. Forbes. St. Phoca or FooA, March 5, called in some martyrologies a holy woman, but Henschenius says that the saint to be worshipped is Focas, bishop and martyr at Antioch in Syria, probably under Trajan. AA.SS. St Phcebe, Phbbe. St, Phothoo or Photius, sister of Photina (1). St. Photina (l), March 20, also called St. Samaritana, M. in the time of Nero. The woman of Samaria, men- tioned in St. John iy. is called by tradition Photina (elsewhere called EuDooiA and Anthttsa) and is com- memorated with her sons SS. Joseph and Victor, her five sisters SS. Anatolia, Photitjs or Phothoo, Photis, Parascbvb (1) and Oyriaga (1), and St. Sebastian, a leader in the Roman army. Her name is not given in the Gk)spel of St. John, nor is she mentioned again in the Bible after the day when she talked with Christ at the welL The Menology of the Em- peror Basil says that after the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul (namely thirty-six years after the time wnen she had '* had five husbands '*), she preached at Carthage with her son Joseph. Her son Victor, after doing good service in the army against the Avares, was made prefect and ordered to kill all the Chris- tians in Galilee (or Gaul). Instead of obeying the mandate, he taught them all things belonging to Christianity and persuaded Sebastian, the ruler of the city, to believe in Christ. He was seized and brought with his co-religion- ists before Nero. Some of them had their eyes put out ; some were skinned, and some hung on trees. Photis was tied between two trees bent together for that purpose ; they were then let go and rebounded to their places, tearing her body in two. The rest were be- headed. Photina died in prison. One form of the legend makes Pho- tina convert and baptize Domnina, the daughter of Nero, who then took the name of Anthuba (1). There are several saints called Domnina and several called Anthusa, but there is no reason to sup- pose either of them to be a daughter of Nero. There are other versions of the story of Photina all equally devoid of foundation or interest. B.M. AA,SS, Menology of Basil, Marrast, Vie Byzantine, says that the Hellenists in Constantinople honoured Artemis Phosphora, i.e, Diana the morn- ing star, under the disguise of Photina the luminous, the Christian saint. St. Photina (2), Feb. 13, V. -f c. 400. After seven months St. Martinian re- covered from his bums [see Zoe (3)] and said to himself, "I am not safe here ; I must go to a place so far from the abode of men and so rough and wild that no one will come near me, and where, above all, no woman will be able to approach.'* The devil was angry, but said to him, '* Well, if I have not suc- ceeded in leading you into a wicked life, I have at all events driven you out of your house ; and be sure that wherever you flee, I will pursue." Martinian knew that the devil would keep his word, but he said to himself, '^The devil will be there, but no woman will be able to come ; that, after all, is the great point.*' So he went towards the sea, singing psalms as he walked. By- and-by he met a boatman who feared God. To him he said, "Brother, do you know any little uninhabited island in the midst of the sea?" The sailor said, " Why do you ask and what do you want?" The anchorite answered, '*I want to flee from the world and be at peace. I find no place where I am safe from evil." The boatman replied, There is a frightful narrow rock, a long way from the land, any one who goes near it is seized witib terror at the sight." " That," said the saint, « is the place for me ; there at least no manner of woman can reach me." "But huw are you to get food there ? " " We will make a bargain. You shall bring me food and I will pray for you. More- over, I will work while I am sitting on