St Hope | The Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope and Love and Their Mother, Saint Sophia | Miniature icon | Size: 2,5" x 3,5" |
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Saint Sophia the Martyr (died 137 AD) is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church on September 17. Born in Italy, Sophia had three daughters: Faith (age 12), Hope (age 10) and Charity (age 9), who were named after virtues mentioned by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 13.
They are said to have been martyred during the reign of Hadrian (117–138). The guards took Sophia's daughters one by one, from the eldest to the youngest and beat and tortured them to death. Sophia buried her daughters' bodies and remained by their graves for three days until she died herself.
According to tradition, in 778 part of their relics were transferred to the women's convent at Eschau in Alsace.
