Representatives of the beautiful half of humanity can often find the name Galina. This name is remarkable in that, having appeared in Ancient Greece, having passed through many centuries, it is lively and popular today. When is Galina’s name day celebrated according to the church calendar, and in honor of which saint is the holiday established?
Birth of a future saint
Saint Galina of Corinth, who is the heavenly patroness of our Galins, was born in the III century in the city of Carinth. It was one of the largest cities in Achaia - the central part of Greece. Two hundred years before the birth of the saint, the Apostle Paul brought the light of Christianity here. But in the times in question, Corinth and the whole country were still buried in the darkness of paganism.
The fate of the future saint was determined by a meeting with a pious old man named Kodrat. He discovered Christian doctrine before her and converted her to faith in the Holy Trinity. Its significance in the life of St. Galina is so high that it should be told separately.
Kodrat - the spiritual guide of St. Galina
In the III century, persecution of Christians was especially intensified. At this time, a young Greek woman, very pious and professing the faith of Christ, was forced to hide in the mountains. There was born her son Kodrat. Soon the woman died, but the Lord miraculously saved the life of her firstborn. Every day a cloud of sweet dew swept over him. It was the child who ate it. He spent all his childhood in the desert.
When Kodrat matured, he once met a group of Christians hiding in the desert from persecution. They opened for him the light of true faith and performed the sacrament of baptism. From them, the young man learned to read and write, and even comprehended the secrets of healing. He became a skilled healer and relieved the suffering of the afflicted. However, his main occupation was prayer and divine thought. Many people came to him for instructions in the spiritual life. Some of them became his followers. So the years have passed.
The Holy Life of Galina of Corinth
When the Will of God, St. Galina became one of the associates of Kodrat, her life completely changed. Now Galina's day was filled with labor to educate her compatriots. She preached holy doctrine wherever she could. It was not so simple. The Greeks, pragmatists in their warehouse, could not comprehend the religion of the crucified God. The idea of sacrifice did not fit in their minds. Greatness in their understanding, had a purely material outlines.
In 251, the persecution of Christians in Greece took on a particularly severe character. At the order of the pagan emperor Decius, an army was sent to Corinth under the command of his close Jason. He was particularly intransigent to Christians. On his orders, hundreds were seized and thrown into prison. The same fate befell the elder Kodrat and his followers.
Finding a martyr's crown
According to the church calendar, Galina’s name day is a kind of memorial day for those events. Jason ordered that Kodrat and all those who were with him be given away to be consumed by wild animals, however, by the will of God, they did not harm them. Then with the blows of the sword they beheaded. Before death, they asked only for one thing - to give them time to once again pray to God. Tradition says that St. Galina had the opportunity to hide and avoid death, but voluntarily accepted the martyrdom.
Galina's name day
Now we open the Orthodox calendar and see when the memory of this saint is celebrated. It is important for us to know this, so as not to forget to congratulate everyone who bears her name. Galina's birthday on the church calendar is celebrated twice a year - March 23 and April 29. Usually, if the saint’s day is celebrated several times a year, then for the celebration of the name day the church recommends choosing the date that is closer to the date of birth. Some clarification is required here.
The fact is that in former times the birthday and the day of the angel, as a rule, coincided. When a child was born, then the parents opened the Saints and watched which saints commemorate the liturgy that day. From their list the name of the newborn was chosen. As a result, the birthday became the day of the angel. Every Galina born in the Orthodox family also received a name. The day of the angel, name day and her birthday were one day.
The meaning of the name Galina
It is interesting to find out the meaning of the name Galina. To do this, we turn to the ancient Greek language from which it originated. It turns out that in translation into Russian it means "quiet, meek". In addition, Galina celebrates the day of the angel, celebrates the birthday in spring days, and her name corresponds to such concepts as clear weather and calm sea. In the mythology of the ancient Greeks, this was the name of the nymph who patronized the sailors. She always carried calm and clear weather with her at sea. Galina's name-day on the Orthodox calendar and the Catholic do not match. Catholics also celebrate them twice a year, but only on July 1 and August 24.
Human qualities associated with this name
It is generally accepted that those who bear this name often have very specific properties. In childhood, Galya is more attached to her father than to her mother. She prefers a group of boys to her peers, and among the latter she is reputed to be “her boy”. With age, she, like most girls, loves dresses and cosmetics.
Do not mind spinning in front of the mirror. However, female gossip and gossip are alien to her. It is noticed that Galins especially love children and often become educators. They are hardworking and sometimes prudent. Achieve a lot in life, knowing how to properly use the situation. They often have charm.
Galina has a name day according to the church calendar in the spring, and it is especially nice to give her on this day a bouquet of the first spring flowers. Success in her personal life is most often accompanied by men whose names are Alexei, Boris, Valery, Victor, Vladimir, Vladislav, George, Eugene, Fedor, Felix, Eduard, Yakov and Yaroslav. Less commonly, alliances with Vladlen, Ignatius, Igor, Leonid and Nikolai bring happiness.
And one more important point. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, by his decree of May 25, 2007, ordered Galina’s birthday on the Orthodox calendar to mark February 23, in addition to the two dates indicated above. This can be found in the materials published by the Moscow Patriarchate.