allsaintsjonesboro saints

Apollonia of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr

Apollonia (d. 249) was a consecrated virgin and deaconess living in Alexandria, Egypt. There were festivities taking place to commemorate the millennium of the founding of Rome, when an anti-Christian riot broke out. After killing two other Christians and pillaging still others’ houses, a mob also seized Apollonia since she was a leader in the local Christian community. Here is what Eusebius relates in his Ecclesiastical History: “But they also seized that most admirable virgin Apollonia, then in advanced life, and knocked out all her teeth, and crushed her jaws; and then kindling a fire before the city, they threatened to burn her alive unless she would repeat along with them their expressions of impiety. And although she seemed to deprecate her fate for a little, on being let go, she leaped eagerly into the fire and was consumed.” Thus, rather than renounce Christ, Apollonia died a martyr.

allsaintsjonesboro saints

Dorothy of Caesarea, Virgin, Martyr

(Feb. 6) Dorothy was a young Christian virgin from Caesarea, in modern-day Turkey, who lived during the time of the great persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian. In the year 311, she was arrested by the governor for being a Christian, in response to which she steadfastly confessed her faith in Christ and was consequently tortured and condemned to death. According to tradition, on the way to her execution, one of the governor’s counselors was mocking her, telling her to send him apples and roses after she arrived in paradise (it was mid-winter in Caesarea). The tradition says that right before she was put to death, Dorothy prayed and when she opened her eyes, there was a little child beside her, holding apples and roses. She asked the child to take them to the counselor after her death, and upon receiving them, he repented and converted to faith in Christ.