Although Paraskeva is a Christian saint, many things about her sound like a Russian goddess, who was called Mokosh. Mokosh is the only female deity of the ancient Russians that we know of. Russian peasants believed that Paraskeva protected women in childbirth and looked after the family’s wellbeing and happiness. They thought she had the ability to cure spiritual and bodily illnesses, including toothache. She is also protector of the harvest and patron of trade. Her day is celebrated on October 28th by the Old Style Julian calendar, after the harvest is in and after the cattle no longer go to pasture. Before the twentieth century, her icon hung in almost every Russian home. In the icon, she is shown holding a cross and scroll as a witness to her faith.

Paraskeva was born on a Friday. Her name means Friday in Greek. In Russia twelve Fridays are observed in her honor, and therefore she is called Paraskeva-Friday. Traditionally, women were not supposed to spin, wash, clean ashes from the fire, or do any kind of work on Fridays. Women who ignored these rules and worked were sure to be punished for failing to show respect to Paraskeva.

One woman told a story about how Paraskeva-Friday came to her in a dream. “She was dressed in dirty clothes,” said the woman. “Her eyes were stuck together with dirt, and her chest was covered with scabs.” In short, the saint looked dreadful. It was as if all of the dirt the women were cleaning away had fallen onto Saint Paraskeva.

The woman asked Paraskeva-Friday why she looked so terrible.

“It is because of you women that I look terrible,” Paraskeva replied. “It is because you show me no respect when you keep doing the wash on Fridays. That is a great sin. And that is the reason that I’m covered in dirt.”

“But who are you?” asked the woman.

“I am Paraskeva-Friday,” the saint declared. Then, in the woman’s dream she disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared.

Thereafter, the women of that region stopped washing their clothes on Friday. Paraskeva-Friday stopped suffering in body and spirit. She never again appeared to the women either in dreams or in person in such a ragged state.

Don’t try this at home. Paraskeva will be disappointed, indeed, if you tell your parents that you cannot wash your hands or brush your teeth because it is Paraskeva’s Friday and you are not supposed to work on her day.