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Astonished by the miracle, Antoninus released Paraskevi. He also ceased persecuting Christians throughout the Roman Empire.
This period was brief. After Antoninus' death in 161, a plague broke out throughout the empire. Romans took it as a sign from their gods that that they were angered by the tolerance of Christianity. Under Antoninus' successor, Marcus Aurelius (161-180), the laws dealing with "non-believers" were cahnged changed and the persecutions against the Christians resumed.
Despite these dangers, Paraskevi persevered in her [[missionary]] endeavors, spreading the [[Gospel]] wherever she traveled. By authority of emperor Aurelius the provincial eparchs Asclepius and Tarasios captured St Paraskevi. Having refused Asclepius’ demands to sacrifice to pagan gods, she was thrown into a snake pit. The Saint made the [[Sign of the Cross]] over the serpent and the serpent perished. Asclepius had heard of the Saint’s previous miracles, realized that a great and mighty power guarded Paraskevi and decided to set her free while Asclepius and his court were all converted.
