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Saint Sophia and Her Daughters Faith, Hope, Love Martyred Under Hadrian
The post recounts the martyrdom of Saint Sophia and her three daughters in Rome during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Sophia, whose name means wisdom, was a widow who raised her daughters in the Christian faith. At the time of their arrest, Faith was twelve, Hope was ten, and Love was nine.
Brought before the emperor, the mother and daughters held hands and confessed Christ, refusing to sacrifice to the idol Artemis. Before the torture, Sophia strengthened her daughters by reminding them that their heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, would grant them eternal life and clothe them in incorruption. The daughters were tortured and killed one by one: first Faith, then Hope, then Love.
Sophia retrieved their bodies, buried them outside the city with honor, and remained at their grave for three days and three nights in prayer. After that, she peacefully gave up her soul and joined her daughters in the heavenly Kingdom. The account concludes with the observation that even children can bear the courage of saints when their hearts belong to Christ.
Main points
- Saint Sophia lived in Rome under Emperor Hadrian and raised her daughters Faith, Hope, and Love as Christians.
- The daughters were twelve, ten, and nine years old at the time of their martyrdom.
- They confessed Christ before the emperor and refused to sacrifice to Artemis.
- Sophia encouraged them before their torture, and they were killed in sequence: Faith, Hope, then Love.
- Sophia buried them, prayed at their grave for three days and nights, then died peacefully.