Today is the Feast of St. Photini. At Jacob’s Well near Sychar in Samaria, Christ stopped to rest while His Disciples went into the town to find provisions to eat. St. Photini (Svetlana in Slavic languages) came to draw water, and He asked her for water to drink from the well. Christ revealed to her that he already knew of her unlawful relations with a man who was not her husband, and affirmed against her beliefs that salvation is from the Jews, not the Samaritans. She learned by listening with an open heart that this was the Messiah for whom the whole world inwardly yearned. The Samaritan Woman then left her water pot and went into town to confess that she had seen the Christ who can give all spiritual water that is completely fulfilling.
Legend states that St. Photini was baptized with her two sons and five sisters. In Carthage she preached the Light of the Gospel, for which she is named, where she was arrested and brought to trial in Rome before Nero. She converted Nero’s daughter Domnina, and then was martyred by being thrown down into a well where she died in this life, but was made alive by Christ in Heaven forever. She truly tasted the waters of Everlasting Life.
In Photini's honor, it is a tradition at the skete to hike down to the well which is just beyond the cave close towards the river near our property.
Each year, after the Holy Mass, we put on our hiking boots and head off to the well. Carrying the water pot that has been blessed at the Offertory of the Mass.
Its a beautiful journey as the March flowers are decorating the decaying leaf scattered land.
The recent flooding has receded but we wondered if the well would be underwater or even if we'd be able to find it.
As we passed the Cave we noticed many trees have fallen.
Some trees were very large
Finally we reach Jacob's well and its in good shape. The land around it is deep in mud but the well is fine.
We leave a water pot behind as we intend to do every March 20th, as this is an Annual Hike to Jacob's Well, honoring St. Photini's Feast Day. As we leave the water pot behind, at the well, we say the 2(b) set of Luminous Mysteries of the Remnant Rosary.
The Revealing: Jn. 4:4-30; 1Cor. 10:4
“Jesus your Life ...is living in me.”
1. Jesus your life, the far country is living in me.
2. Jesus your life the outcast is living in me.
2. Jesus your life the outcast is living in me.
3. Jesus your life asking for that which only you can give is living in me.
4. Jesus your life creating thirst is living in me.
5. Jesus your life well of water springing up into everlasting life is living in me.
6. Jesus your life, letting us know that you know is living in me.
7. Jesus your life spirit and truth is living in me.
8. Jesus your life revealing is living in me.
9. Jesus your life Messiah is living in me.
10. “Jesus your Life is living in me that I may leave
behind the water-pots of my life” (Ex. 16:19-20;
Mt. 6:33-34; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 12:1-2; Rev. 3:20).
Leaving the pot we return to the skete, back through the woods
passing the cave again
