"The woman who left her water jar: The Samaritan Woman"
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[A theological discourse on a woman from Samaria, often referred to as the Samaritan woman. It delves into her encounter with Jesus Christ as described in the Gospel of John, chapter 4. The text highlights her significance in Christian theology and her role as an evangelist.]
From the Samaritan village, the noble stories of the good Samaritan and the good Samaritan woman stand out. In our Book of Synaxarium , on the 5th of Megabit, we read about Saint Eudoxia, a Samaritan woman whose name means 'peace and tranquility,' who achieved great martyrdom.
The story of the good Samaritan is a lesson [Luke 10:33], but hers is real story. Her dwelling place was Sychar, the great "Samaritan" woman [John 4:7].
This woman was a precious witness, causing the name 'Savior of the World' to be first spoken by human lips in the Gospel through her preaching.
"Martyrs testify to us that this is truly Christ, the Savior of the world."
The Gospel narrates her final mission thus: "And the woman left her water jar and went into the city and told the people, saying, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’
The golden-mouthed preacher, Saint John Chrysostom, elaborates on her apostolic work: "While the other apostles left their nets to follow Him, she too, as an apostle, left her water jar and followed Him. While they witnessed to Philip, Andrew, and others to follow Him, she preached to the whole village to follow Him."
Who is the Samaritan woman?
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Beside our 81 books of the Holy Bible , other 'holy' traditions also mention her with various names and additional stories.
Early Greek texts describe her as having five sisters and two children, martyred for her faith, and a follower of Saints Paul and Peter. She is revered as the great martyr, Saint Photine of Samaria.
Our Teamre Iyesus (Miracle of Lord Jesus) also mentions her name and narrates her story as follows : "And when the Samaritan woman, named #BERFISENIYA, heard the word of the Lord Jesus, she went into the city and told the people, saying, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’"
Saint Berfiseniya, the Samaritan woman, left her water jar and returned to the village, calling all to the living water, to salvation. Her mouth became a fountain of life. "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence." [Proverbs 10:11]
For the people of Sychar, Saint Photinia served as a "water jar" leading them to the living water, Christ. Though they followed her preaching, they denied her role, saying: "And they said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
May the blessing of the Samaritan woman Saint Berfiseniya (Photinia) be upon us all!