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When Penelope reached adolescence, her parents began to think about her [[marriage]]. One day, a dove flew through the window carrying an olive branch in its beak, depositing it upon a table. Then an eagle swooped in with a wreath of flowers in its beak, and also placed it upon the table. Finally, a raven flew in carrying a snake, which it dropped on the table. Penelope was puzzled by these events and wondered what they meant.

At the end of the conversation Apellianus said that the Lord wished to betroth her to Himself and that Penelope would undergo much suffering for her heavenly [[Bridegroom]]. After this Penelope refused marriage, was baptized by the [[priest]] Timothy, and she was named Irene (peace). She even urged her own parents to become Christians. Shortly after this, she destroyed all her father's idols.

Since St. Irene had dedicated herself to Christ, she refused to marry any of the suitors her father had chosen for her. When Licinius learned that his daughter refused to worship the pagan gods, he was furious. He attempted to turn her from Christ by having her tortured. She was tied up and thrown beneath the hooves of wild horses so that they might trample her to death, but he horses remained motionless. Instead of harming the saint, one of the horses charged Licinius, seized his right hand and tore it from his arm. Then it knocked Licinius down and began to trample him. They untied the holy virgin, and through her prayers Licinius rose unharmed in the presence of eyewitnesses with his hand intact.

When Sedecius, the new governor of the city, heard of this miracle he summoned Apellian and questioned him about Irene's manner of life. Apellian replied that Irene, like other Christians, lived in strict temperance, devoting herself to constant [[prayer]] and reading holy books. Sedecius summoned the [[saint]] to him and urged her to stop preaching about Christ. He also attempted to force her to sacrifice to the idols. St. Irene staunchly confessed her faith before the governor, not fearing his wrath, and prepared to undergo suffering for Christ. By order of Sedecius she was thrown into a pit filled with vipers and serpents. The saint spent ten days in the pit and remained unharmed, for an [[angel]] of the Lord protected her and brought her food. Sedecius ascribed this miracle to sorcery, and he subjected St. Irene to many other tortures, but she remained unharmed. Under the influence of her preaching and miracles even more people were converted to Christ, and turned away from the worship of inanimate idols.

Being fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty, thou becamest fairer still in thy brave contest, O virgin; for when thou, in thine own spilt blood, wast stained and reddened, O Irene, thou overthrewest ungodly error. Hence, thou hast received the prizes of thy good vict'ry from thy Creator's right hand.

*[http://www.iconograms.org/sig.php?eid=41 Great Martyr Irene]

*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=41 Irene the Great Martyr of Thessaloniki]

*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=101297 Greatmartyr Irene of Thessalonica: Life]

*[http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=101297 Greatmartyr Irene of Thessalonica: Troparion and Kontakion]

[[Category:Missionaries]]

[[Category:Saints]]