It is revered in the Russian Orthodox Church as a miracle worker and is housed in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St.

According to a 1908 historical sketch of Sevsk, Dmitrovsk and Komaritskaya volost by Svyatsky, commonly, Paraskeva were:[6]: 22  "a painted wooden statue of Pyatnitsa, sometimes in the form of a woman in oriental attire, and sometimes in the form of a simple woman in poneva [traditional skirt] and lapti [bast shoes] ... placed in churches in special cabinets and people prayed before this image".

The popular imagination sometimes gave Paraskeva Friday demonic features: tall stature, long loose hair, large breasts, which she throws behind her back, which brings her closer to the female mythological characters like Dola, Death, and Rusalka (mermaid).

One of the decrees of the Stoglav Synod (1551) is devoted to the condemnation of such superstitions:[4] Yes, by pogosts and by the villages walk false prophets, men and wives, and maidens, and old women, naked and barefoot, and with their hair straight and loose, shaking and being killed.

[11] Among Ukrainians there was a belief that Friday walks were littered with needles and spindles of negligent hosts who did not honour the saint and her days.

[11] In bylichki and spiritual verses, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa complains that she is not honoured by not observing the Friday prohibitions – they prick her with spindles, spin her hair, clog her eyes with kostra (shives).

The icons depict Paraskeva Friday with spokes or spindles sticking out of her chest (compare with images of Our Lady of the Seven Spears or Softening of the Evil Hearts).

[1] In eastern Slavic cultures, wooden sculptures of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa were also placed on wells, sacrifices were brought to her.

The sacrifices, emblematic of women's work, might be clothes, kudel (long bundle of fibre for spinning), threads, and sheep's wool; these were thrown down a well.

It was believed that on this day the miracle-working icon of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa (Komi: Paraskeva-Peknicha) from the chapel in the village of Krivoy Navolok could bring healing to the sick.

Они з'сердно молились иконамъ рѣзнымъ, ставили свѣчи, жертвовали деньги, клали яйца и вѣшали полотенца.

This is true now, but there was a time when roughly carved wooden images of St. Paraskeva and St. Nicholas were placed in chapels in foreign areas.

Nicholas the Wonderworker in priestly vestments, and the Great Martyr Paraskeva was dressed in the Christian attire of the first centuries made of white linen and covered with various homespun ornaments, belts, etc.

They prayed fervently to the carved icons, lit candles, donated money, laid eggs, and hung towels.