Chapel of St. Galina of Corinth at Troekurovskoye Cemetery

The Holy Martyr Galina of Corinth suffered for Christ in the third century. According to various sources, this could have happened in 250, 251 or 258. During the persecution of Christians, the pious woman Rufina, fleeing persecution, fled from Corinth to the mountains, where she gave birth to her son Codratus and died soon after. By God`s providence, the baby survived: it was nourished by the sweet dew falling from the clouds. Codrat spent his childhood and youth in the desert, accustomed to solitude and prayer. Growing up, he met Christians who instructed him in the faith, mastered literacy, studied the art of medicine and excelled in it, but preferred solitary prayer. Over time, he gained followers: Cyprian, Dionysius, Anectus, Paul, Crescens and others. Saint Galina was born at the beginning of the third century in Corinth, met the righteous Codratus, who led her to Christ. During the persecution under Emperor Decius (c. 251), the military commander Jason arrived in Corinth with the aim of eradicating Christianity, and Codrates and his disciples, including Galina, were captured, imprisoned and tortured. But they did not renounce the faith. Then they were thrown to wild animals, but they did not touch them. After that, the martyrs were tied to chariots and dragged around the city, then taken outside the city and sentenced to death by the sword. Before they died, they offered a prayer. The rest of Codrates`s students also suffered for their faith: Dionysius was stabbed, Victorinus, Victor and Nikephoros were crushed in a stone mortar, Claudia`s limbs were cut off, Diodoros threw himself into a bonfire, Serafion was beheaded, Papias and Leonidas were drowned in the sea. Saint Galina and other Christian women (Hariessa, Kalisa/Kalida, Nunechia, Vasilissa, Nika, Gali, Theodora) followed the teacher`s example and voluntarily went to suffer for Christ, although they could have been saved. According to one legend, they were beheaded with a sword on March 10, according to another, they, along with St. Leonid, were thrown into the sea on April 16, 258, but they did not drown, but walked on the water, singing hymns. Then the Roman soldiers caught up with them, hung stones around their necks and drowned them. All these events took place in Corinth in 250-258. The memory of the Holy Martyr Galina of Corinth is celebrated on March 10/23 and April 16/29. In Moscow, a chapel has been erected in memory of Galina Korinfskaya at the Troekurovskoye cemetery.
Address: Moscow, Ryabinovaya St.

