The Holy Scriptures say that “it is not good for a man to be alone.” Thus, it can be said that love and family are considered core Orthodox values. It is not surprising that most unmarried girls dream of family happiness with a worthy person, and therefore they ask which icons of saints they can pray for marriage and happiness in the family.
Deities of love - like archetypes of the planet Venus
It is logical that most of the deities who bestow the energy of love and beauty are of a feminine nature. In the astrological system, these qualities are associated with the planet Venus, which is deified as the beautiful morning star.
What unites all Venusian images from various world mythologies:
- birth occurs most often from the waters, from the God of Heaven;
- famous for its beauty, capacity for pleasure, power of love and sexuality;
- combines the functions of creation and fertility;
- may be the main female deity of the pantheon;
- patronizes lovers, family life and well-being, the arts;
- The image of the goddess of love undergoes evolution over the centuries: from hetaera and mistress to a faithful wife and guardian of marriage.
There is a connection between the image of the goddesses of love and the star, the dawn, and the zoomorphic image of a cow is popular. Other animals associated with the goddesses of love are the dove and the cat.
Colors – natural, green, pink, dawn colors.
Goddesses of love in different mythologies
Different peoples depicted their virgins in all sorts of forms. The goddess of love and beauty is not just a fragile girl, but the personification of the highest blessings, the unity of spirit and mind. She was placed on a par with other deities. Temples were built to honor the beautiful maiden, and sacrifices were made to appease and receive blessings for a long and happy family life. The names of goddesses of different mythologies vary.
- Lada is a Slavic beauty.
- Freya is a Scandinavian deity.
- Ein is an Irish idol.
- Hathor - Egyptian creator.
- Goddess of love - Aphrodite.
They were all portrayed differently. Each nation has its own concept of beauty, its own standards of female beauty. For some, this is a celestial woman with large facial features, a well-built physique and elastic muscles, and for others, she is a fragile, thin creature. The institution of marriage was highly valued, so people were very careful about their traditions and tried to instill them in their children and grandchildren.
Egypt
Isis - “throne”, in Egypt personified the morning star - Venus. The eternally young goddess, whose image changes over time, is renewed and appears new in every civilization.
The ancient goddess is a matriarchal queen who achieves her goal through law, deceit and cunning. At the same time, he often shows caution and wisdom in achieving well-being in life. After which she can rest on her laurels, performing the feminine function of passive energy conservation.
There is a bird image of Isis - a swallow creating wind with the flapping of its wings. Very skillful and effective, she defeats other gods.
Most often, her image was:
- a woman with wings;
- cow;
- a woman (on a throne) with a crescent of cow horns (sometimes a creature with a woman's body and a cow's head), nursing her child - the baby Horus.
Isis, the loving wife of Osiris, with all her passionate character, showing marital fidelity and maternal love, demonstrated miracles of perseverance in achieving her own goals - the resurrection of her husband and raising her son.
Greece
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, her clothes are strewn with stars. “Foam-born” Aphrodite is the last creation of the ancient demiurge - she appeared from drops of the blood of the Sky god Uranus - castrated by Kronos - that fell into the water.
Aphrodite – brushes of Botticelli
He is depicted surrounded by beautiful Harits and wild animals tamed by love desire. Her symbols: mirror, belt, ring, wreath, associated with the female organ.
Its image has changed over the centuries and has been cultivated along with human civilization. Once upon a time she was the goddess of hetaeras and herself was engaged in the same business. Further, she was credited with more coquetry and playing love games, inciting passions in gods and people that sow discord (for example, the Trojan War, the story of Phaedra and Hippolytus).
She was the patroness of childbirth, protected pregnant and giving birth women, and even had the name “children’s teacher.”
This goddess of love and beauty in Ancient Greece could endow people with feelings that gave strength and vision of beauty, helping to be included in the living process of true reality, and not in the artificial mental world. She cannot stand the frivolity of feelings and persecutes those who reject love. It is she who personifies the principle: God is love.
Finally, the development of the Aphrodite myth led this goddess of love to the role of a loving mother and wife. Although her love was sought after by the gods of the elements (water - Poseidon, Fire - Ares) and she had common children with them, the most cultured god - Hermes, famous among the gods for his talents and the role of a master creator, became the legitimate husband of the goddess.
After marriage, Aphrodite gives up the wild life (well, almost...), pacifies her natural passions and becomes the patroness of marriage. And her fierce power of love finds its most worthy application - the creation of family well-being and happiness.
Hymen is the companion of Aphrodite, the god of family and marriage, who imposes the “Hymen Bond” on spouses.
Eros - “love”, the playful Greek god of love - the son of Aphrodite and Ares (in some legends, they say that Eros’s father was, after all, her husband, the cunning Hermes). He was depicted as a beautiful winged boy, initially with a flower and a lyre, and a little later with arrows and a bow. Sometimes he held a torch in his hands, igniting the passion of love.
Eros amused himself by flying around the world and shooting his arrows of passionate desire at the gods and people, making him forget about everything and achieve the love of his chosen one. It is Eros who, with the help of love desire, ensures the continuation of life.
Anteros (Anteros) is another son of Aphrodite, the younger brother of Eros, born later than his playful brother. Therefore, by his nature he is a more harmonious deity, symbolizing shared love. With his presence, brother Eros was able to grow from a baby to a young man, which means the formula: reciprocity helps love grow.
Charites - “mercy, kindness”, beneficent goddesses who embody the best aspects of nature, protecting the seasonal order and harvest: the “shining” Aglaya, the “well-meaning” Euphrosyne, the blooming “Thalia”.
Different peoples had different names for harits, as did their number. They are close to the Muses and the goddess of persuasion through sensual insight - Peyto.
Canon of the martyrs Faith, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia, tone 1.
Song 1
Irmos: Your victorious right hand is gloriously glorified in the fortress. That Bo, Immortal, like the omnipotent, erased the opposite, the Israelis made a new path of depth.
Grant me, O Lord, the radiance of Thy most wonderful and unspeakable wisdom, of Thy beautiful and blessed martyr, so that I may sing of Sophia’s vegetation.
Thy admonition is manifested by living, O God-wise One, be adorned: Thou hast spent all of Thy life with the desire of wisdom, O glorious Sophia, illuminated by wisdom with grace.
We adorn your all-blessed fruit, the Divine Trinity, with the number of us, who labored sufferingly for Her, all-wise Sophia, the namesake of the Divine Wisdom.
Having purified body and soul with virtues, O virgin youths, three were brought to You, as a martyr, to the intelligent Bridegroom Christ, Faith with Hope, and Glorious Love.
Theotokos: I have received my whole image, which I first saw in the image of God, renew everything, dwelling divinely in Your womb, Most Pure One. Moreover, we all glorify the Mother of God of Your faithfulness.
Song 3
Irmos: The only one who knows the infirmity of the human being, and mercifully does not imagine, girds me with strength from on high, crying out to You, Holy One, animated by the temple of Your ineffable glory, Lover of Mankind.
Listening to the voice of Christ, calling to a immortal and passionless life, I followed the crowned virgins and martyrs, who cried out to You, Holy One, in the animated temple of Your Most Pure Glory, Lover of Mankind.
The strength of the gift of Christ, standing before the judgment as a martyr to you, as promised, and fulfill God-inspired wisdom, and the bright display of the victorious martyr, virginity shining with grace.
Dull the mind of the enemy, the great-praised maiden, and debase that pride, having labored in great wisdom, and before boasting, destroy the sea, flooding with the flow of blood.
Richly filled with the wisdom of Christ above, chosen wisdom and prudent, the three daughters have put to shame those tormented by fierceness and incontinent fury, floridating Divine teachings.
Mother of God: You gave birth to the saints of the Holy Christ, the holy village of shrines, resting in the saints. To Him we cry: Holy is the Temple animated by Thy ineffable glory, O Lover of Mankind.
Kontakion, tone 1
Honest Sophia's most sacred branches, Faith, and Hope, and Love, having appeared, the wisdom of the Hellenic grace, and the sufferer, and the victorious one appeared, tied to the incorruptible crown of all the Lord Christ.
Sedalen, voice 1
The verbal lambs of the Lamb and the Shepherd were quickly given over to fire and fierce torment, and appeared as an angel of equal honor. Thus, we celebrate all your sacred memory with gladness of heart, Virgin of the God-Wise.
Song 4
Irmos: Mount Thee, overshadowed by the Grace of God, the perspicacious Habakkuk saw before the eyes, and from Thee came forth to the Holy One of Israel, for our salvation and renewal.
Strengthened by Divine grace, well-conquered, Faith, Love and Hope, courageously putting to shame the tormentors of repression, the all-wise are burnt by fire, and are brought to the Bridegroom Christ.
Armed with the full armor of the Cross, Faith, Love and Hope were able to graciously endure the torment of the wounds of the saints, resisting sin even to the point of bleeding.
The three-numbered candles of shining wisdom, Faith, Love and Hope, the Trinity enlightened in reality, shining brightly, enlighten the Church, for our salvation and protection.
Theotokos: Holy Mother of God, All-sung, waiting for tongues and the salvation of the faithful, from You arose the Deliverer, and the Giver of Life, and the Lord, who sings to You for the salvation of us.
Song 5
Irmos: Enlightened by the radiance of Your coming Christ, and illuminated by Your Cross the ends of the world, enlighten the hearts with the light of Your God-Mind, those who sing Thee Orthodoxy.
Through patience and wisdom I lifted the torment, and the wisdom that exists in God speaks the mysteries: the one who holds to shame the three God-bearing virgins, bound by faith and nature.
Pramati rejoices, seeing that she is defeated by the flattering one, who of old expelled this one from Eden, by the God-wise women, Hope, Faith and Love, born of Sophia.
I escaped the poisonous tormenting caress, and freely endured the torment of the ulcer, the honest young women were wounded by your love, Christ, and by your divine care.
Theotokos: The heavenly powers rejoice when they see Thee, and the people of the state rejoice with them: With Christmas we are united with Thy, Virgin Mother of God, Whom we worthily glorify.
Song 6
Irmos: The last abyss has passed us by, you will not deliver, we are counted as sheep of the slaughter, save your people, our God: for you are the strength of the weak and the correction.
Rejoicing, I have placed my hopes in Your Lord’s most pure hands, three young women, the Trinity, honored and praised in number and number.
Glowing virginity with kindnesses, adorned with martyrdom, and receiving a crown worthy of above, from Christ, the Giver of Life and the All-Bountiful.
Having been brought, O Lord, to Thy temple of all the reigning virgin treasures of honor, to partake of Thy kingdom: for Thou art both the Light and the joy.
Theotokos: The forefathers of our race rejoice in You, O Most Pure Virgin, We are going to receive You, whose crime we destroyed. You are pure both before Christmas and after Christmas.
Song 7
Irmos: Let us consider the faithfulness of Your wise Mother of God, just as the three youths of the Savior, exalted, renew the world, in Your womb is wholly whole, the God of praise of the fathers and glorified.
By the tri-radiant unity of grace, illuminated by the reality of the virgins, having destroyed the demonic darkness, the Trinitarian light theologically and sings: God, praised by the fathers, is glorified.
In heaven there are palaces of luminous souls, with the angels you now joyfully rejoice, seeing the everlasting glory, and saying: God of the fathers is praised and glorified.
Patiently, like the youths, they showed resistance, they courageously asked for fire: for those are equal in number to the mind of the God-bearing acquisitor, praised by the fathers ever before God and glorified.
Theotokos: Yeshi, Pure One, forgiveness of sins to those who praise You faithfully, delivering from misfortunes and every situation: For You are now the refuge of money-grubbers, O Blessed One of God, as if You carried the Praiseworthy God of the Fathers with your hands.
Song 8
Irmos: In the cave, the children of Israel, as if in a furnace, sparkled with the kindness of piety purer than gold, saying: Bless all the works of the Lord the Lord, sing and exalt to all ages.
The God-bright Virgins, Faith, Hope, Love, shine with the kindness of piety purer than gold, saying: bless all the works of the Lord, sing and exalt to all ages.
Shining and light-like torment of the former virgins, let us sing to the faithful saying: Bless all the works of the Lord, sing and exalt to all ages.
The crayfish of the passion-bearers constantly flow forth a stream of healing, abundantly, sufficiently and richly, calling with faith: bless all the works of the Lord, sing and exalt to all ages.
Theotokos: You were the Pure Holy Land, the life-bearing Class who gave birth to the ever-present life of the Intercessor of Christ, to whom we all call: bless all the works of the Lord, sing to the Lord and exalt to all ages.
Song 9
Irmos: The image of Thy Pure Nativity is a burning bush of display, unscorched, and now we pray to extinguish the furious misfortunes upon us, so that we may continually magnify Thee to the Mother of God.
We are filled with the Tri-radiant Light and the radiance of the Divine, now saturated, with the virtues of the same name and the same, Love, Hope, and Faith, confirm us with hope and love and faith.
May the highest fortress now tame the storm of heresy, O passion-bearers of invincibility, and give the faithful unity of mind, we ask, we pray unceasingly, good deeds.
The night of an all-wise life has passed, the day of the eternal life has come, rejoicing as a martyr, and virginally boasting of grace, and being made worthy of the incorruptible Divine Kingdom.
Theotokos: O how Virgin gave birth to the ever-bearing Word and Hypostasis, the radiance of the Father's Hypostasis, our Benefactor and Lord, from Her incarnation, Whom we worthily magnify.
Rome and the Etruscans
Venus - “mercy of the gods”, the Roman goddess of love, is disposed favorably towards people. She has different incarnations, for example Venus Doritis or Frutis - the patroness of gardens and fruits. Venus Erinika is the patroness of illicit love, that is, love outside of marriage, between lovers. Venus Verticordia - on the contrary, patronizes legal marriage and conjugal love, etc.
One of the symbols of Venus is associated with love, peaceful skies and peacefulness in human hearts - this is the ancient symbol of the white dove of peace. This image merged with the Christian image of the Holy Spirit, who brings people help and good news. In this aspect, Venus appears merciful and creative, its naturalness and beauty brings people true joy of life.
The influence of Venus on human life usually consists in the favorable and sympathetic attention of heaven to the love and kindness of the person himself.
Cupid - “love”, (Cupid - “strong passion”) symbolizes the triumph of natural passion in a person, which takes precedence over reason.
Analogous to the Greek Eros. Cupid is more associated with platonic, romantic love, while Cupid is a symbol of passionate desire, sexual possession.
Celtic goddess of love
Brigid, Nemone and Cliodna
. The mythology and religion of the Celtic peoples is not entirely clear to many of us. It is difficult to say what the name of the goddess of love of the Irish peoples is. Each god personified not only a natural element, but also a spiritual trait. The most ancient celestial being was Nemone, the patroness and guardian of the hearth and community. Approximately the same symbolization is carried out for Brigitte:
- marks the element of fire;
- patronizes fertility, fortune telling, art, helps in childbirth.
Later, with the advent of Christianity, her image was combined in Saint Brigid, the daughter of a Druid, who was a blacksmith and healer. The most striking example of the transition of paganism to Orthodoxy, with the preservation of an ancient idol. Cliodna is the queen of fairies. A goddess who remained chaste until she met her loved one. The love was so strong that the divine beauty left her home and began to live on earth. The remaining gods were unhappy with this course of events and created a coalition to bring Cliodna back.
Scythians and Slavs
Lada is the Slavic goddess of love, combines the lunar and Venusian archetypes. Svarog's wife, her children are Perun, Morena, Lelya, Zhiva, Lel and Polel. Lada is the patroness of engagements (lada - “engagement”), harmony between a man and a woman (sladit), family (family harmony) and family benefits.
Lada helps to maintain a positive state - a creative, bright state of mind, and it is from this state that one can make the right decisions in difficult life moments.
Uslad (Oslad) is the god of pleasures and bliss that can be received from life in all its manifestations. The patron of the arts, holidays and feasts, a little later he also became the patron of good sleep and vivid dreams. He is depicted as a beautiful young man, joyful and ruddy. Close to him is the god Pripegala - a deity of the Dionysian type, feasts, festivities and receiving pleasure from this action.
Krasopani is a deity of the Western Slavs (Moravia), the name emphasizes her beauty. She was depicted as a naked beauty on a chariot carried by three swans.
Among the Slavs, the image of swans is associated with purity and fidelity, bordering between the Sun and Venus.
Slavic goddess of love
Lada
. The keeper of the hearth, harmony in the family, a symbol of spring, prosperity and prosperous nature was Lada - the goddess of love among the Slavs. This deity gave the most valuable thing in the world - life. Warriors, going to war, carved the face of the celestial goddess on stones, in the hope that she would save them. The progenitor of the entire female tribe. She was portrayed as a magnificent young beauty. It was a part of the perception and worldview of marital and interpersonal relationships. A festival dedicated to the deity - Ivan Kupala. On this day, young people met and got to know each other.
Symbolization
- The white swan is a sign of virgin purity and fidelity.
- A circle with an inverted triangle inside is a commemoration of the vast universe and its heart.
Semites
Astarte – “goddess”, is sometimes depicted in the form of a cow, as a fertile creature. Capable of resurrecting with her love, sensual warmth, and bestowing vitality. Could be a healer.
Another of her appearances is that of a naked horsewoman, with a bow and arrow. The Semitic goddess of love was also famous as the goddess of battles. This image of her symbolizes selfish love, which can sow enmity between people. And also to reconcile them, mediating in conflict situations, maintaining law and peace. The image of this goddess contains the forces of belligerence and at the same time peacefulness.
Asirat is the mother of gods and people, the daughter and wife of the West Semitic god Ilu, who today has turned into a single and at the same time multiple god of the Cabal of Elohim. A phallic cult is associated with Asirat.
Kudshu is the Syrian goddess of fertility, one of the personifications of Astarte. She is depicted standing on a lion, holding a flower in one hand and a snake in the other. Also identified with the divine cow Hathor.
Mesopotamia and Asia Minor
Ishtar - “star”, can be depicted as a cow, but with bird legs and wings.
Akkadian goddess of love, whose father is the Sky god Anu. Her love is warlike, it can be insidious and vindictive. She looks more like an Amazon, carrying arrows on her back.
The cult of Ishtar, the goddess of carnal love, took on the character of orgies. At the same time, her functions in this area are varied: initially she patronizes lovers, hetaeras and even homosexuals, then she takes care of the birth of a person, therefore she is considered an assistant to women during childbirth.
Her image is cultivated over time and Ishtar begins to patronize marriage and sexual interaction between spouses, but this requires their initiation into the cult of Ishtar.
Inanna is the “Lady of Heaven,” the Sumerian goddess of love.
Initially considered the daughter of the god of Heaven, after the transfer of his functions to the younger deities, people called her the daughter of the god Enki or the moon god Nanna. Inanna attracts with the help of beautiful clothes (all the colors of dawn), which were given to her by Enki, the lord of destinies. She controls the feelings of gods and people, has feminine strength and powerful charm. Shows belligerence only in extreme situations.
The winged goddess, who owns the heavenly boat, by cunning obtains from Enki the divine powers of Me (power over destinies), after which only she owns the divine crown, the royal throne and the high priesthood. Receiving these benefits depends on the grace of the goddess of love.
Shavushka – “weapon”, Hurrian goddess of fertility, love and war.
Possesses love spells capable of seducing and defeating even those forces (for example, a snake) that have not submitted to other gods. With a rather dangerous meaning of the name, she acts as the patroness of family happiness and well-being.
Nanaya , the Sumerian goddess of love, including carnal love, was distinguished by her special divine beauty. Sometimes she was identified with Inanna, sometimes it was believed that Inanna taught Nanaya everything that she knows and can do.
They asked for her help to increase their own sexual attractiveness. She also patronized people of art, especially poets.
Greek goddess of love
Aphrodite
. Neither god nor man could resist her charms. The goddess of love in Greek mythology, Aphrodite, helped lovers and took cruel revenge on those who neglected her and the cult of the goddess. In the images, the deity is always surrounded by violets, roses, lilies, accompanied by an escort of nymphs and charites. She was always presented in a form that corresponded to the standards of beauty of the time in which the artist worked.
According to legend, a maiden appeared from the foam of the sea. Being a chthonic goddess, she had the power to inspire and feel all-consuming emotions that are inherently destructive. She is described as a loving beauty who loves pampering and affection. Later mythological editions attribute spirituality to the goddess of love. Homer, in his works, weakens the chthonic capabilities of the deity, which indicates a change in human attitude towards natural processes.
India and Iran
Vishnu-Mohini is “permeating everything, all-encompassing,” the male embodiment of the function of creative love. After all, the Creator Brahma was born from a lotus that grew from the navel of Vishnu, which symbolizes the female ability to give birth.
Vishnu himself is beautiful, but he is especially irresistible when he uses feminine charms. For example, she appears before the gods in the female image of Mohini - “a maddening enchantress”, as a result of which she steals amrita from the asuras - a drink that grants immortality.
And Shiva was so imbued with the feminine appearance of Vishnu that the lover merged with him into a single being, Harizar.
Krishna is also considered the incarnation of Vishnu, professing the principle “God is love” and so tenderly attached to God that his feelings turn into divine emotional ecstasy.
Lakshmi - “life, like happiness, beauty, a good sign”, is the wife of the god Vishnu, who, like Aphrodite, emerged from the waters, floating on a Lotus flower, surrounded by groups of Apsaras (the Indian equivalent of mermaids).
Lakshmi bestows happy omens on those who love her; her form, Sri Lakshmi, is the goddess of fertility. Lakshmi also has the name Indira, which combines two meanings: beautiful and powerful.
Ushas is the Indian goddess of Dawn, depicted as a beauty, a dancing girl in bright, beautiful clothes and jewelry. She is immortal and does not age; her beauty and harmony inspire people of art.
She is called “the most similar to Indra”, she can come into conflict with him, as the principle of love and beauty, opposing the thunder god. Identified in the constellation Taurus.
Rohini - “pink”, her zoomorphic image is a sacred cow, associated with the qualities of fertility, love and marriage.
Kama - “love”, “desire”, son of Lakshmi, his weapon is a bow made of bees, shooting arrows from flowers. Kama has such energy and influence on gods and people that no one except Shiva is able to resist him.
But even Shiva, struck by the five arrows of Kama, from his five senses created the world of Maya, an illusion familiar to us, where he could satisfy his own passion.
Kama is killed by Shiva for interfering in his meditation, because of which the destroyer god is forced to experience love desires, otherwise the game of worlds will stop, the infinity of life will be interrupted.
Gods Kama and Rati
Rati (Bhaga) is the wife of Kama, “pleasure, pleasure,” the goddess of undying love, who accepted the “life’s work” of her divine spouse killed by Shiva. She mourned her husband, turned to the gods for help, and she was granted to find Kama again in the form of her child, having produced and raised him with all the tenderness and kindness of feelings.
In this image, the wife’s sensual love is brought together with creative maternal love; it is these energies fused together that give the woman a feeling of victory over death, over destruction.
Akathist to the holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia
Kontakion 1
To the chosen servants of the Lord Almighty, Faith, Hope and Love, and the wiser Mother Sophia, we tenderly offer you songs of praise. But you, because you have boldness towards Christ God, pray for us, so that we may be delivered from sins and sorrows, so that we may cry out to you in gratitude:
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Ikos 1
The angels in Heaven rejoice, your virtuous life is visible, accompanied by reading the Divine Scriptures, in work, fasting, prayer and alms, constantly teaching your material, so that living images of the three theological virtues, by whose names they are quickly named, may appear. We, marveling at your mother’s wisdom and your perfect prudence, reverently say to you:
Rejoice, like-minded sisters, in the three virtues of your namesake; Rejoice, having entered into the degree of perfection in obedience to your God-wise mother.
Rejoice, like three branches of paradise, growing in evil Rome; Rejoice, Sophia, who named your daughters the names of virtues, which you taught them to perform.
Rejoice, Faith, by faith we see the invisible as if it were visible, helping us to see; Rejoice, thou clothed in incorruption.
Rejoice, Hope, who weakens our suffering in the vale of sorrow with hope and points us with our right hand to the things above; Rejoice, you who have inherited the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, Lyuba, who reveals to us the bliss of immortal life through Divine love; Rejoice, illuminated by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, Sophia, thou art of wisdom, who hath raised thy daughter to wisdom; Rejoice, you who affirm us in the virtues of faith, hope and love.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the wise Sophia of the servant, who came to invite her with her daughters to King Hadrian, and realizing the guilt of her calling, a hundred of her children came to prayer, asking for God’s help: and through prayer, eating by the hand, like a braided crown, I walked together, singing to Christ God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The saints naturally had an undoubted mind, when they were quickly brought into the royal chambers, Tsar Adrian appeared with a bright face, cheerful hair and a courageous heart. Tsar, it is in vain that your honest face is undaunted and that you have seen the wisdom of Sophia, postpone your judgment for another time and send you to a certain nobler wife, who has been with you for three days, your wise mother who teaches you with inspired words day and night. In the same way, to please you, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, three blameless lambs of Christ, who have gathered in themselves the crown of virtues; Rejoice, three virtuous sisters, who have shown firm faith, undoubted hope and unfeigned love for the Lord God.
Rejoice, having not spared your beauty and youth, for the sake of the Red One, who is kinder than the sons of men; Rejoice, Sophia, who taught your beloved children the feat of martyrdom for Christ.
Rejoice, Vero, who confessed your faith through torment for Christ; Rejoice, you who raised up your sisters with strong faith.
Rejoice, Hope, who placed firm hope in Christ; Rejoice, you who strengthened your sisters with unflagging hope.
Rejoice, Lyuba, who through torment for Christ showed your effective love; Rejoice, you who protected your sisters with the fire of love.
Rejoice, Sophia, your sweet child who admonished you to despise glory and wealth and all the sweetness of this corruptible world; Rejoice, thy good daughter who diligently taught to give blood for the Lord and die for Him.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 3
By the power of the Divine overshadowing the martyr, who showed the virtues of her names in deeds in the labors of the martyr, chanting to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
The holy martyrs have within themselves a pillar of faith, a wing of hope and a fire of love, listening in sweetness to the words of their mother, one of whom I affirm with patience and walk joyfully, desiring honorable martyrdom for Christ. We worship him as our God, and with our invocations we honor you:
Rejoice, you who have not grieved the least at the deprivation of this temporary life of eternal life for the sake of life; Rejoice, for the honor of Christ’s sake you gave your flesh to torment.
Rejoice, you who brought three valuable vessels of faith, hope and love to God as a gift; Rejoice, Sophia, for out of great love for your daughters, you desired with all your heart that they might inherit the Kingdom of God.
Rejoice, Vero, who illuminates our souls with faith; Rejoice, you who lift us up to a quiet haven.
Rejoice, Hope, who quickens our hearts with the sweetness of hope; Rejoice, you who bring us out of the abyss of despair.
Rejoice, Lyuba, who transforms our suffering and sorrow into joy; Rejoice, transforming our petrified hearts into tenderness.
Rejoice, Sophia, who instructs us with wisdom for good; Rejoice, enlightening the darkened eye of our souls.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 4
A storm of tormenting rage attacked you, holy Faith, but did not shake you: whoever is able to move the invincible faith, the strongest adamant, who taught the faithful to sing with you to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing the wise mother of her daughter before the king, fearlessly confessing Christ and saying that this is the only thing they desire, to suffer and endure the bitter sweet torment for the sake of Jesus Christ, rejoicing at the great and praying to God, may he strengthen me in the torment that lies ahead. This will be praised; let us sing to the first daughter of the wise mother:
Rejoice, Vero, unmerciful one who received the sweetest beat of the Sweetest for Jesus’ sake; Rejoice, your cut-off breast, like two crowns of purity, sacrificed to the Lord.
Rejoice, for from your ulcer you flowed milk instead of blood; Rejoice, for you were laid on a red-hot iron.
Rejoice, for you have been cast into a boiling cauldron; you were not scorched in the least, nor were you harmed; Rejoice, you who calm the heat of our passions with heavenly coolness.
Rejoice, you who extinguish the fire of our torment in illness; Rejoice, you who mark us with a sign of faith in the midst of adversity.
Rejoice, covering us with the shield of faith in battle with the enemy; Rejoice, thou who joyfully bowed thy honorable head for the Head of the Church, Christ God.
Rejoice, for with the stain of your blood, like a scarlet robe, you appeared before the eyes of your Immortal Bridegroom; Rejoice, you who have come to the desired land and beheld the beloved Savior of the Lord.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 5
The God-given stars became like nature, Faith, Hope and Love, clinging with all their hearts to the one eternal Life and indescribable Beauty, Jesus Christ, who will soon march, to die for Him and enjoy His Divine vision, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen the good-victorious sister, Holy Faith, who joyfully suffered for Christ, they themselves wanted to lay down their souls for Him: the Tsar began to test Holy Hope, and seeing that she and her sister were of the same mind, they were given to torment, but had no success. We, the holy Nadezhda, will sing and glorify her about her wisdom in a pleasing way:
Rejoice, Nadezhdo, who was cruelly beaten, but who has not lost her bright hope in the Lord; Rejoice, you who endured your torment without complaint in silence.
Rejoice, you who also give us strong patience; Rejoice, for once you were in a fiery furnace without being burned, you sent praise to God.
Rejoice, for you teach us to praise God in our suffering; Rejoice, for you were sharpened with iron nails.
Rejoice, you who shine upon us who are in sorrow with rays of hope; Rejoice, for a wonderful fragrance came from your wounds.
Rejoice, thou who has invariably preserved unshakable trust in the Lord Jesus; Rejoice, destroying hopelessness and powerlessness in our hearts.
Rejoice, you who joyfully accepted the sword beating for Christ; Rejoice, clear star, to us, oppressed by earthly sorrows, revealing eternal peace.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 6
The God-Wise Sisters are like the quick Preacher and Apostle of the God-bearing Ones: with your virtues you preach to all the faithful faith, hope and love for the Lord, the Master of all, to Him singing: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
You have shone, like the sun, Saint Lyuba, who stood for her beloved Lord in such a powerful way as Lyuba, even as it is written: strong as the death of love, water cannot quench much love, and rivers will not drown it. We pray to you now, Holy Love, burning with the seraphic flame of love for the Lord, renew our petrified and withered hearts, kindle in us, who are impoverished in love, the light of love, so that we love the Lord and all our neighbors, as our prayer book, we will praise you:
Rejoice, Lyuby, for your love for Christ led to many worldly delights without quenching; Rejoice, for having rejected all the caresses and gifts of the king, you laid down your soul for the Lord.
Rejoice, for your love did not drown the river of troubles and suffering; Rejoice, for the Lord Jesus you were stretched out on wheels, beaten with a rod, pierced with drills and thrown into a fiery furnace.
Rejoice, for in your fierce torment you were strengthened by the power of God; Rejoice, through your blood, love for the sake of your Immortal Bridegroom, Christ, poured out, inspiring love in our cold hearts.
Rejoice, having clearly shown us that all sweet torments are endured for the sake of love; Rejoice, you who showed us how Divine love leads to eternal life.
Rejoice, you who assured us with prophetic things that any Divine revelation is immortality; Rejoice, for no torment could separate Love from the love of Christ.
Rejoice, who in your torment apostolically prophesied, for neither sorrow, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor misfortune, nor sword will separate you from the love of God; Rejoice, you who were truncated at the head by the sword of love for the sake of Christ.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 7
Wanting to be separated from the body as soon as possible and to be with Christ, holy virgins, when I was about to be beheaded with a sword, I kissed each other and my mother Sophia with an embrace, teaching us friendly love, and let us all sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
The Lord showed a new miracle when He always helped His ambassador to those who suffered for the confession of His name, only to young virgins: by faith, hope and love we strengthened and exalted our former, valiant deeds. We, in unanimity and unanimity until the end of our lives, pray to you, and grant us unanimity in doing good deeds, touchingly magnifying you:
Rejoice, Faith, Hope and Lyuba, having walked together through torment to the gates of heaven; Rejoice, you who entered into the bright palace of your most beloved Bridegroom with a voice of joy.
Rejoice, for Jesus Christ enlightened, like the stars in heaven, the wounds on your bodies; Rejoice, Sophia, who looked valiantly at the torment of your children.
Rejoice, for with heavenly beauty, which the eye cannot see, the Lord has adorned your kindness, taken away by torment; Rejoice, you who have received the crowns of reward.
Rejoice, like three stars, illuminated by the Sun of truth; Rejoice, Sophia, who has found great consolation in your daughters’ courageous confession of the name of Christ.
Rejoice, you who dispel the darkness of our doubts; Rejoice, you who strengthen us, depressed by mental and physical suffering.
Rejoice, you who adorn our hearts with the beauty of love; Rejoice, Sophia, fortress and consolation of those who are exhausted in troubles and needs.
Rejoice, Faith, Reliability and Love, together with Sophia, your wise matter.
Kontakion 8
Strange and incomprehensible to us weak, mired in worldly sweets, we see the matter, like the Holy Sophia of her beloved children, seeing fierce and bitter torment and death, not the least in sorrow, but rejoicing greatly in spirit, singing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All in the highest is wise Sophia, who always strives with her daughters with sweet words and wise admonitions to endure torment. If by nature one bows down to tears, one gives oneself over to joy from the love of Christ, for the sorrow of the heart and the mother’s sickness for one’s children, conquer the love of God in it. It is great that you love your daughter, and most of all, you desire the Kingdom of Heaven. For this reason, marveling at your wisdom and great love for your daughters and glorifying you, we cry:
Rejoice, Sophia, for your soul rejoiced at the blessed death of your daughters, who boldly confessed the holy name of the Lord; Rejoice, in the martyrdom of your children you received honor and glory.
Rejoice, having been honored with the participation of the martyr and with his daughters in the heavenly glory of Christ God; Rejoice, you who buried the honorable bodies of your daughters with joyful tears.
Rejoice, who sat down at their tomb for three days and rested in the sleep of death in the Lord; Rejoice, even if not in the flesh, but at least in your heart for Christ.
Rejoice, for you brought three virtuous daughters, who showed faith, hope, and love for God, as a gift to the Most Holy Trinity; Rejoice, for for the sake of childbearing you were saved.
Rejoice, wondrous mother, worthy of good memory; Rejoice, thy daughters, that they may shed their blood for Christ, who prayed.
Rejoice, O thou who maketh us wise, that we may immutably guard the virtues of faith, hope and love; Rejoice, praying to the Life-Giving Trinity for us.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 9
All the Angels marveled at your suffering, holy martyrs, and your victory over the devil triumphantly, leading your souls to Heaven, singing to Christ God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
With such eloquence, all your sufferings for Christ cannot be expressed, but marveling at the great feat achieved in your youth, they remain silent. In honor of your death, we glorify God and magnify you:
Rejoice, Faith, Hope and Lyuba, who sing praises to God who ascended to heaven; Rejoice, shield of faith, armor of hope and lamp of love.
Rejoice, enjoying the vision of the bright face of God; Rejoice, Sophia, pious mother who instructs their children in the wise education of their children.
Rejoice, us who teach, that we may seek the Lord, and our soul may live; Rejoice, warm prayer books coming to you with faith, hope and love.
Rejoice, you who admonish us, for all the sweetness and charm of this world disappears like smoke, like dust is scattered by the wind and turns into dust; Rejoice, Sophia, who loved the Lord God with all my heart.
Rejoice, like three bright keys, flowing to the one Source of life; Rejoice, as three incense blooms on the one most fruitful branch that has vegetated.
Rejoice, like three mirrors, reflecting the boundless beauty of God in yourself; Rejoice, Sophia, like an olive tree, three branches, laden with abundant fruits of the gifts of God, growing.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 10
Wanting to save her souls, the holy martyrs despised the love of Christ for the caresses of the Tsar and the riches of this corruptible world and joyfully accepted her death as a martyr for Christ, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
The holy martyrs are walls of faith, hope and love to all who come running to them with warm and earnest prayer and who cry out to them in sorrow and adversity:
Rejoice, good healer of sinful ulcers; Rejoice, in the darkness of our sorrow, illuminating us with the light of hope.
Rejoice, you who send us wondrous peace in the midst of adversity and sorrow; Rejoice, Sophia, who has shown wise care for us, those defeated in our suffering.
Rejoice, Vero, raising the cross of salvation before us; Rejoice, you who heal our infirmities through your prayers.
Rejoice, Hope, who gives us the anchor of deliverance; Rejoice, thou who graciously takes away the despondency of our hearts.
Rejoice, Lyuba, by your intercession to the Lord in evil misfortunes we are protected from unexpected death; Rejoice, you who restore our weary strength to vigor.
Rejoice, Sophia, diligent prayer book for us to God; Rejoice, wise mentor in our good deeds.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 11
This praiseworthy singing, even if it were offered to you, holy martyrs, would not have been sufficient to glorify your virtues and deeds: instead, sending up praise to God for everything that He shows us in His saints, to Him we sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
Faith, Hope and Love, together with their material Sophia, are like the burning lights of heaven before the Lord; we fall to them, praying, that they may enlighten us, darkened by sorrows and calling from the depths of our hearts:
Rejoice, you have made your garments white in the blood of the Lamb of the land; Rejoice, eternal life intercessor for us.
Rejoice, souls seeking peace in God's mercy, confirmation and preservation; Rejoice, Sophia, who protects us from the vanity of the world.
Rejoice, Vero, worthy censer, offering incense praise to God; Rejoice, you who enlighten us sinners with faith.
Rejoice, Hope, our consolation and refuge in sorrow; Rejoice, radiant messenger of deliverance in our sorrows.
Rejoice, Lyuba, who pours kindness and meekness into our hearts; Rejoice, mysterious star, lifting us up from the cramped earthly mountains.
Rejoice, Sophia, wise and honorable teacher; Rejoice, O God-wisdom of life for those who pray to you, the organizer.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 12
Having been granted the grace of God to receive, pray for us, holy martyrs, the Most Pure Lord Christ, that He may be merciful to us sinners, with faith, hope and love to Him alone, our Lord and Savior, humbly singing: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
We sing of your mighty deeds, with faith, hope and heartfelt love, we honor your sufferings, we praise your wondrous patience, we bless your death, which you joyfully raised for Christ, we magnify your invincible courage, holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda and Lyuba, and the wise mother Sophia, and Glorifying you, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, like three streams of lightning, shining from the east even to the west with your virtues; Rejoice, vials of faith, hope and love, filling our souls with life-giving drink.
Rejoice, three paths of light, leading us to the throne of the glory of the Lord; Rejoice, Sophia, praised for your children by the saints.
Rejoice, Vero, the flower of faith, whiter than snow; Rejoice, delight of the afflicted.
Rejoice, Hope, exaltation of oppressed hearts; Rejoice, like a healing stream, quenching the thirst of grieving souls.
Rejoice, Lyuba, crowned with peace, joy and goodness; Rejoice, clever dawn of eternity.
Rejoice, Sophia, rod of strength, meek and wise chastiser of children; Rejoice, most luminous ray of knowledge of God, shining upon our souls.
Rejoice, Vero, Nadezhda and Lyuba, together with Sophia, your wise mother.
Kontakion 13
O holy and praiseworthy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda and Lyuba, and wise mother Sophia, now accepting this little prayer of ours, deliver us from all troubles, illnesses and sorrows with your prayers, so that in the Kingdom of Heaven we will be honored to see the immortal Lord Jesus, together with you we will sing to Him : Alleluia.
This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos “Angels in Heaven...” and the 1st kontakion “To the chosen servants...”.
Germans and Celts
Freya - “mistress”, a Germanic beauty - the goddess of fertility and love, in the pantheon she has a father - the sea god Njord. She was the object of constant desire of the giants, and married the poet Oda. Her image is associated with fluffy cats - the cutest and most affectionate little animals, which Freya uses as mounts, harnessing them to her carriage.
In myths, she can act as a female parallel to the thunder god, taking the form of a cloud in the shape of a cow, thus returning moisture to the earth and giving nature flourishing, watered by Freya’s rain.
In Germanic languages, Friday is named after this goddess, a day of the week associated with the influence and manifestation of the planet Venus.
An analogue of Freya is the goddess Frigg , “beloved”, wife of the god Odin, patroness of marriage, family and childbirth.
Baltic states
Laima – “happiness”, the goddess of a happy fate of the Baltic peoples. Laima is the daughter of Dievas, the god of Heaven, and in her image accompanies the Sun as the Dawn. It is this goddess who leads the bride and groom at weddings and is the patroness of pregnant women and cows.
She is in eternal conflict with the goddess Giltina, who brings misfortune and death to people.
Milda is the Lithuanian goddess of love, her name means “to fall in love, to fall in love.” He flies on an air carriage carried across the sky by pigeons. The month of April used to be dedicated to Milda, now her day is May 13, considered the Festival of Love.
Birth of Aphrodite
The name Aphrodite alone indicates the most common version of her origin. Translated from Greek, “afros” means “foam”. However, two versions of the myth are known about the birth of the goddess of love.
The Theogony says that during the confrontation between the gods and the Titans, the reproductive organ of castrated Uranus fell into the sea near the island of Cythera. Having whipped the water and turned it into foam, he gave life to the beautiful Aphrodite.
However, the myth about the appearance of Aphrodite off the coast of Cyprus became more popular, which is why the goddess was called Cypris. According to him, an accumulation of foam appeared off the coast of the island, from which a beautiful shell floated to the surface. Having revealed herself, she gave the world the patroness of love.
Birth of Aphrodite / Alexandra GaudiBuendia Khitrova / gaudibuendia.artstation.com
Indians
Xochiquetzal is a “flower feather”, the divine wife of the Aztec thunderer Tlaloc, her function, of course, is love. She is the patron of women, all household chores and flowers. Her influence extends not only to family unions, but also to all lovers; she could even help dissolute women and male revelers.
The greatest influence of Xochiquetzal extends to people engaged in creative work - sculpture, art and weaving.
Huitaka is a goddess of the Chibcha-Maiscan Indians, associated with the female power of fertility. She was also assigned the role of the goddess of sensual pleasures, who taught people to enjoy life.
On the topic in the section “Gods and rituals”
Tags: Deities
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When will God help?
If a woman asks to send her a man to help each other, mutual knowledge, spiritual growth, then the saints, the patrons of love, will definitely listen to you. Of course, comfort, sex and monetary motivation are also included, but they should not come first. The union, for the selfish reasons of the partners, will quickly fall apart, because the two ego-programs will constantly conflict. Relationships, however, can reach a new level if people realize that love involves the spiritual dedication of each member of the couple.
