The Great Martyr Paraskeva lived at the turn of the 3rd-4th centuries in Iconium, the ancient city of Asia Minor (now the city of Kony in Turkey). Her parents especially revered the day of the suffering of the Lord on the Cross - Friday. On Fridays, they fasted especially strictly, prayed a lot and did alms. In honor of this day, they named their daughter Pyatnitsa, which in Greek sounds like “Paraskeva”, and in Russian - “Praskovya”. Orphaned early, Paraskeva took a vow of virginity and saw all her thoughts and aspirations only in sowing the faith of Christ among the pagans. On behalf of the emperor, Paraskeva was captured and tortured for refusing to sacrifice to idols. She was mercilessly beaten to the point of blood and thrown into prison, barely alive (c. 303). But the Lord did not leave her and miraculously healed the sufferer.