Saint Lydia, pray for us!

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

          -Acts of the Apostles 16:13-14,40. KJV

Happy saint Lydia day, I woke up and started washing the dishes before sunrise. The cat was gleefully rolling around on the floor again while I drank honey cinnamon coffee out of an old jar with a paper label on it that says: hot salsa. One of my study bibles describes saint Lydia in the footnotes as a “well to do business woman.” Every kind of wealth. My favorite color has been purple my whole entire life. I have escaped millions upon millions of prisons. The savior of the world set me free. He sets all the prisoners free.

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

          - Mark 15:17-18 KJV

I wonder, from where, from who was this purple cloth purchased, I don’t know. He knows everything. Save them and save me O god. Save us! O Savior of the world, for by your cross and resurrection you have set us free. Glory to god forever. She is equal to the apostles of the Lord, her home is my home to this day; ever faithful to my lord and my king and my god. They also note that she was the first European convert, before Europe was even European perhaps, because of this, the first European woman to ever exist. Every impossibility is possible when we walk together in the great vast endlessness of god’s love.

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

          - Philippians 4:1, KJV
            Paul’s letter to the church of Lydia

I pray my heart be open to the apostolic truth, that I may do all my works for the glory of god, and I give thanks for every place of prayer with purity of faith. Amen.

           Glory...

(Apolytikion in the First Tone)

Revering God with an upright intellect, through Paul she accepted the splendor of Grace, and was first with her entire household, in Philippi to believe in Christ, O godly-minded one, wherefore we honor you with songs of praise, Lydia of Philippi: glory to Him Who was well-pleased with you, glory to Him Who filled you with radiance, glory to Him Who gives through you greater things.

(Kontakion in the Fourth Tone)

The words of Paul, made you splendid, appearing in Philippi, as an image of a holy life, and your entire household was greatly glorified, for you were found worthy Lydia of Philippi.

(Megalynarion)

The first of Philippi to come to Christ, you came godly-minded one, through the renowned Paul, O Philippian, Lydia to the stream, where you were baptized in Zygakti, with your entire household O all-revered one.

             ...Now and ever unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Saint Lydia Purpuraria, pray for us, and through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us! Amen.