St. Photini Equal to the Apostles icon

Orthodox icon of St. Photini the  Samaritan Woman, the Great-Martyr of Samaria. Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated February 26.

The Orthodox icon of the Holy Martyr Photini (Svetlana) who is the Samaritan Woman who Jesus met at Jacob's well (John. 4:5-42). After Pentecost, she, her five sisters (Anatole, Phota, Photis, Paraskevi, & Kyriaki) and her two sons (Victor, who later was renamed by Christ "Photinos", and Joses) were baptized.

They became great preachers of Christ in many different places, including Smyrna in Asia Minor, Carthage in North Africa, and finally in Rome, where they stood up to the Emperor Nero's endless tortures (including beatings, poisonings, blindings, imprisonment, temptations, crucifixion, burning in a furnace, etc.), all while managing to convert one of his Dukes (St. Sebastian), his daughter (St. Anthousa), and his magician (St. Theoklitos), who all were martyred and are celebrated also on this day.

St. Photini is considered a Patron Saint for those repentant and those suffering carnal temptations, for those with physical or spiritual blindness, and for those suffering diseases of the head and trembling disorders.