In the Orthodox Christian Church, the woman at the well in John’s gospel is remembered as Saint Photini, which means “the enlightened one.” Apparently her passion for sharing Jesus as the Messiah sent from God did not end with the people of her own town. Instead, church tradition recounts her travels as an evangelist to the city of Carthage in northern Africa and then to the city of Rome where she sought an audience with the emperor Nero. While the emperor agreed to see her, he rebuffed her attempts to convert him, imprisoned her along with her five sisters and younger son who were traveling with her, and subjected them all to cruel tortures. After three years in prison, the others were beheaded, and soon after Saint Photini also gave up her life as a martyr for the Christian faith.

Long …