Christ
with the
Samaritan Woman
(St. Photini)
Christ with the Samaritan
Woman (St. Photini)
This Icon is at Holy Virgin Mary Church
The Church has chosen to have this incident from St. John’s Gospel read on two different occasions: on the 4th Sunday of Great Lent and the 3rd Sunday after Resurrection. Reading this Gospel in different liturgical seasons demonstrates how this sinful woman came to repent and secondly, how she now lives the resurrected life with her converted heart.
According to tradition, Christ Himself called her Photini (“enlightened”) when she met Him at Jacob’s well (a symbol of the baptismal font). In a similar manner, all of us begin our life in Christ through Baptism. She was eventually baptized by the Apostles, labored to spread the Gospel in various places, and finally received the crown of martyrdom in Rome.
A hymn dedicated on behalf of this Gospel account says: “Having come to the well in faith, the Samaritan woman beheld Thee, the Water of Wisdom, whereof having drunk abundantly, she, the renowned one, inherited the Kingdom on high forever.”
In this icon, Christ asks St. Photini for a drink. Since the earth can only offer what is earthly, she offers Him her jar and only possession in order to receive what is from above. The synaxis between Christ and the Samaritan woman details the stages of Christian initiation. First, there comes illumination through recognizing the Son of God as the Messiah, just as St. Photini recognizes Christ as the Messiah when He spoke to her about true worship. Second, there is purification in baptismal water, which is transformed into a gift of the Spirit. Finally, there is union with Christ; she becomes a witness to the Faith and confesses Christ before others.