On December 24, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Holy Monk-Martyr Eugenia. Saint Eugenia was a Roman, the daughter of noble parents - pagans. Her father Philip was the governor of the city of Alexandria and all of Egypt.
Eugeneia was distinguished by her brilliant education and beauty. However, the girl became fascinated by Christianity, left her home and, disguised as a man, went to a male monastery, where she was baptized, became a monk, and after the death of the abbot was unanimously elected in his place.
She gained great fame by healing the poor through prayer. Thus she attracted the attention of an evil woman - Melantia, whom she cured. Melantia wanted to seduce Eugenia, because she thought she was a man. When she failed, she slandered her, saying that the woman disguised as a man had tried to seduce her.
Eugenia was arrested and forced to reveal her identity to the governor of the city - her biological father. Her family was happy that she was alive, and they all accepted her faith, for which Philip was dismissed.
After his death, the family returned to Rome and lived in a mansion outside the city. Eugenia passed on her faith to a noble maiden - Vasila, for which both were condemned to suffering and beheaded on the very day of Christmas in 262.
Her mother Claudia buried her daughter in her estate outside the city and herself passed away soon after, having been warned in a dream of her death by her daughter, the martyr Eugenia.
Along with Eugenia, Protus and Jacinthus, who were with her, were also beheaded, because they did not want to take part in a pagan sacrifice.
Name days are celebrated by: Eugene, Eugenia, Zhenya, Bistra, Blagoroden, Blagorodna, Malcho (from the phrase Little Christmas), Malik, Malen, Malena, Malin.