Saint Nymfodora

icon Saint Nymfodora icon

Saints Minodora, Mitrodora and Nymfodora were sisters and came from Bithynia. The radiance of virginity and the beauty of souls and bodies made the three sisters the boast of Christians while the cares and habits of the world did not concern them. Her only care was "μετὰ αἰδοῦς καὶ σωφροσύνης κοσμεὶν υαυτάς, ἢ ἐν πλέγμασιν ἢ χρυσῶ ἢ μαργαρίταις ἢ ἰματισμῶ πολυτελεῖ" (Α 'προς Τιμόθεον, β' 9). That is, they took care to adorn themselves with shyness and wisdom and not with coquettish braids of their hair or with gold or pearl jewelry or with luxurious clothes. For the love of Christ, then, they left their homeland and went to live on a hill, near Pythia, hot springs. There they practiced and cultivated even more their wisdom. That is why they claimed to cure diseases of God, and a crowd of people ran near them. When the prefect of Fronton learned of this, he sent and arrested the three sisters. Seeing the wisdom and prudence, but also the fearlessness with which they treated him, he ordered and tortured them with the most horrible tortures. They bravely endured the martyrdoms and so gloriously surrendered their souls to their bridegroom Christ (290 AD). The prefect wanted to burn their bodies, but the flames burned him and then torrential rain extinguished the fire. The bodies of the three virgins were buried with respect by the Christians. Her memory is commemorated on September 10.
Saint Nymfodora icon