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Paraskeva was born in Rome in the year 140 of Christian parents. At that time in the second century, over 1800 years ago, there were just a few thousand Christians in the world. She was born on Friday, the day of Christ’s crucifixion, and her parents, being devout Christians, appropriately named her Paraskeva, the Greek word for Friday. She traveled around the countryside, preaching the Gospel, and converting many people to Christianity. She spoke persuasively, and brought many people to give up their pagan gods, and commit themselves to Christianity.

This eventually brought her to the attention of the Roman Emperor Antonius. When Antonius summoned her to the palace, she refused to denounce her faith in Jesus Christ. She was tortured, and finally thrown into a vat of boiling oil. She stood there calmly in the vat, and finally the Emperor asked her if she had some way of cooling the oil. In response, she picked up some of the boiling oil and threw it at the Emperor. Some of the burning oil splashed into his eyes and blinded him. Screaming in pain, he begged her to heal him. She asked God’s help, and the Emperor Antonius regained his sight. As a result of this miracle, Antonius put a stop to the persecution of Christians throughout the Roman Empire and Paraskeva continued her missionary activities.