allsaintsjonesboro saints

Saturninus, Dativus, & Companions, Martyrs

Saints Saturninus, Dativus, and Companions (sometimes referred to as the forty-nine martyrs of Abitina) died under the persecution of Diocletian in 304. The emperor’s edict included the order to destroy all copies of the Scriptures with fire and to give up meeting together. Many Christians obeyed, but many more refused. Saturninus was a priest in Abitina, in North Africa. He and his congregation were arrested one Sunday by one of the local magistrates and a group of soldiers. All of the Christians–both women and men–were incredibly brave, speaking boldly of their faith in Christ. In particular, their interrogators were interested in getting a confession of their taking part in the assembly of Christians (the Mass, or Divine Service). One of them answered: “Sine dominico non possumus” – we cannot live without this thing of the Lord, referring to the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. The martyrs were not executed but died in prison, either from prolonged exposure to harsh conditions or from the effects of the tortures they underwent.

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.