Three Sisters - Agape, Chionia, Irene - The One Year Women in Christian History Devotional

D. ABOUT 310

In the first decade of the 300s, Emperor Diocletian launched a last vicious attack against Christianity, trying to rid the empire of this pesky menace once and for all. Christians had endured several periods of persecution in the previous two-and-a-half centuries, but this was the worst yet.

In the middle of all this were three sisters from the town of Thessalonica—Agape, Chionia, and Irene. (The first and third were named for the Christian virtues of love and peace. Chionia is the Greek word for “snowy.”) As often happens with ancient saints, there are several legends about them, but all depict a trio of devout young women.

As the story goes, they refused to participate in sacrificing to the pagan gods of Rome, and this got them in trouble with the authorities. One other problem was that they possessed illegal Christian books. (This was before the church had officially gathered the New Testament, so these “sacred texts” probably included the gospels and the letters of Paul, as well as more recent instruction.) When the sisters refused to sacrifice, eat the sacrificial food, or give up their books, the first two women were burned to death. In a perverse punishment, Irene, who had committed her virginity to God, was sent to a brothel, but she died before she could be defiled. (There are different stories of how this happened, but it’s generally seen as God’s protection of her purity.)

Nowadays there are many Christian books, including this one, that aren’t worth dying for. But what about the Bible itself? Would you risk your life just to own a copy of God’s Word? Would you risk your reputation to carry it to work? Would you risk a relationship to quote a potentially helpful verse to a friend?

These three sisters knew that the Scriptures were not just a badge to wear or a flag to wave, but a line of connection to God. These writings kept them focused on the one person who was worth living and dying for. They can do the same for us.

The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Hebrews 4:12