Greek Name Day: Erasmia, Erasmea

Name Days are often named after a Christian saint or martyr and are mainly celebrated in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox countries (but note that Sweden and Finland use different dates). On this day, the holy person is celebrated, as well as anyone named after this person. Often, these celebrations are more important than birthdays. The Greek name Erasmia meaning ‘beloved’ refers to one of the 40 virgins that were brutally murdered by Licinius, the ruler of Thrace. The 40 virgins were tortured and murdered to punish their teacher Ammon, who was not willing to become a pagan.