The History of Saint Sophia

Saint Sophia is the name of a saint who lived in Roman times. It is also the name of churches around the world but are not necessarily dedicated to Sophia, the saint. It is thought that various places of worship are so named due in part to translation of the original Latin word "sancta" meaning "holy" to the German "sankta" meaning "saint." The Greek "haghia" ("holy" or "saint") and "Sophia" ("wisdom" or the female name), appear as "Haghia Sophia" to denote the intended meaning of "Saint Sophia" which is "holy wisdom."

Widow

Saint Sophia is said to have lived in the second century in Rome, during the rule of the Roman emperor, Hadrian (117 to 138 A.D.). Of Italian ancestry, Sophia had three daughters, named Pistis, Elpis and Agape. Apparently, Sophia was widowed shortly after the birth of her third child.

Teacher

Sophia reportedly brought up her daughters in the true spirit of Christianity, openly teaching them the value of piety and prayer. The names of her daughters stand for faith (Pistis), hope (Elphis) and love (Agape). Christianity was forbidden by the laws of the Roman Empire, so it was just a matter of time before the governor, Antiochus, made a report about Sophia and her daughters, to the emperor.

Unwavering Christians

Sophia and her daughters, aged 12, 10 and 9, were summoned to appear before Hadrian. Evidently his first action was to place them in the care of a Roman lady named Palladia, whose role was to offer them all the pleasures and luxuries of a worldly lifestyle. It was an attempt to change their view of the world, but to Hadrian's consternation, it had no effect.

Mother and Martyrs

Unable to convert the young girls to his way of thinking, Hadrian had them tortured by the cruelest methods and ultimately beheaded. The entire ordeal was witnessed by Sophia, who remained in continuous prayer. It fell to her to remove the lifeless bodies of her three daughters to their final resting place on a hill beyond the city limits. Reportedly, Sophia remained by the tomb in mourning and prayer until her own death three days later, from natural causes and a broken heart.

Constantinople/Istanbul Cathedral

The Byzantine Emperor Justinian (483 to 565) left a legacy of buildings that included the "Haghia Sophia" or "Church of the Holy Wisdom," a magnificent cathedral of mosaics and marble, in Constantinople (since 1930, Constantinople has been called Istanbul, Turkey). The Haghia Sophia cathedral of Constantinople was built between 532 and 537, and is also called "Saint Sophia." It is considered among the finest examples of Byzantine architecture, and is now a museum.

Washington D.C. Cathedral

In Washington D.C., the inscription over the entrance to Saint Sophia's reads "Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Haghia Sophia, The Holy Wisdom of God." The parish was established by the Greek community in 1904, and the first church in 1924. The first service at the Cathedral was held in 1955. The Cathedral is located at 36th Street and Massachusetts Avenue.

Resources

• Saint Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
• Saint Sophia in Washington, D.C.