Saint Parascheva at Târgoviște

On October the 14th, the Pious Parascheva, the protector of Moldova and the guide of the Orthodox faith throughout Romania, is celebrated every year.

In the popular belief, St. Parascheva is considered the Lady of the women's world and is also called Good Friday. She used to control the women’s activities, especially the wool spinning. That is why, once upon a time, in any Friday of the year, and not even on October the 14th, women were not allowed to spin, wash or bake bread. Even though the holiday is celebrated in other day than Friday, it continued to be considered the holiday of Good Friday. Women who dared to sew or spin on this day were thought to be blinded on Good Friday or to be widowed. Prohibitions continued: do not lend things from the house, because it dries up the growth of the house; people did not work because they were afraid of getting struck with lightning, hail, diseases of the eyes and head; women fasted on this day and gave apples and rolls as alms.

Starting from the belief that on Good Friday Saint Sun buys himself a coat, people used to go to fairs to buy thick clothes and the necessities for the household for the cold weather to come.

In Târgoviște, Saint Parascheva is the patron saint of the Good Friday Church, also called the Little Princelly Church, a church over 500 years old, which is part of the National Museum Complex "Curtea Domnească".

Also, in the Priseaca neighborhood, there is a small country church, 200 years old, dedicated to St. Parascheva - the Church of the Holy Emperors and the Pious Parascheva.