St. Apollonia lived in Alexandria during the end of the reign of Emperor Philip the Arab. She is one of several Early Church martyrs who died during a violent uprising in Alexandria. This terrific mob brutalized and murdered Christians, incited by a pagan oracle who prophesied an impending calamity, which practicing pagans promptly blamed on the growing number of Christians. The Roman authorities made no attempt to protect these innocent victims.
It is believed that Apollonia was a highly regarded deaconess at the time the uprising reached its height. According to St. Dionysius, the mob sought her out to make an example of her and violently beat her, ripping all of her teeth out. After this, they built a fire and demanded she blaspheme Our Lord or else be burned alive. She paused, as if to give the illusion of considering acquiescing to their demand, then jumped into the flames. She would rather embrace martyrdom than possibly risk her virginity or commit blasphemy.
St. Apollonia died in the year 249 AD. She is often pictured with a golden tooth hung around her neck and pincers to honor the brutal suffering she endured for her Faith. Many pious Catholics invoke her intercession for toothaches and tooth-related ailments. Some traditions even remember her as a version of the tooth fairy.
Lessons
- Be Courageous: Trust in God’s goodness and mercy. Take heart and know that the Lord sees all and your faith will be rewarded.
- Thank God for the Gift of Chastity: Through the example of St. Apollonia and other virgin martyrs who embraced their impending death, we are reminded of the beauty and value of the gift of our chastity.
- Endure Suffering by Uniting It to Christ’s: Anyone who has had a toothache or felt the pain of a dental procedure can attest to its agony. But by the grace of God, we can be assured that all of our sufferings have been redeemed and need not be in vain.
Prayer
O, St. Apollonia, virgin and martyr, pray for us, that our sufferings may be alleviated here on earth. And for those sufferings that the Lord asks us to endure, pray for us that we may suffer them well, remembering our Lord’s immense love for us that overshadows every ill. Amen.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
