Holy Martyr Polychronia

The Holy Martyr Polychronia (Polychronίa) was the mother of the Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-bearer and was from the city of Lydda (Diospolis) in Palestine. She also came from a renowned and noble race. She was modest, brave, and filled with temperance, kindness and sweetness. Most of all, her soul loved God, prayer and humility. She spent her time reading the Divine Scriptures and praying. The blessed Polychronia accompanied her prayers and vigils with the virtues of continence and fasting. Thus, detached from the earth, her mind was lifted up to heaven and she immersed herself in divine vision (θεωρία).¹ In this way, she transformed her surroundings and allowed the everlasting scent of her spiritual fragrance to diffuse in the idolatrous environment of her husband Gerontios.

Saint Polychronia secretly raised her son with the discipline and admonition of the Lord. She imparted to him her fervent love for Christ, as well as her deep reverence. When he faced martyrdom for the love of Christ, she was constantly close to him, both in the prison and in the place of martyrdom, always taking care to strengthen him with the Spotless Mysteries.

When Emperor Diocletian saw her speaking to Saint George, he called her to him and asked her who she was. She replied with spiritual courage: "My name is Polychronia and I am a Christian, like my son George, whom you think you are punishing, while he is being crowned by Christ the King." Enraged, Diocletian ordered her to be tortured at once. Then they suspended her on a tree and subjected her to even greater torments. They tore the flesh from her body with iron handcuffs so much that her innards were visible. Then they took lit candles and began to burn her wounds. Yet she remained steadfast in her faith and courageous in her thought. Still the executioners continued, placing red-hot iron shoes on her feet with tongs. Saint Polychronia, with the consolation of the Paraclete,² conquered her pains and delivered her holy soul peacefully into God's hands.

Her holy relics were secretly taken by Christians who buried her, while praising God.

¹ Theoria is often translated into English as "contemplation." The original sense of the word is "to behold" (i.e. the vision of God). In the West, "to contemplate" has come to mean a type of self-induced meditation, or to ponder some aspect of God's majesty, humility, Passion, etc. A better translation of theoria is "divine vision."
² i. e. the Holy Spirit.