Saint Apollonia was an elderly deaconess of Alexandria in Egypt who was martyred around the year 249 during an anti-Christian uprising. According to the account of Saint Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, a mob struck her and broke her teeth, then threatened to burn her alive unless she renounced Christ; she chose death rather than deny her faith. Because of the manner of her suffering, she is honored as the patron saint of dentists and of those with toothaches.
Apollonia shows that faithfulness is not reserved for the young or the strong — she was an old woman when she stood firm under violence. Her courage reminds us that no pain, however sharp, can take from us the love of Christ we choose to hold. She teaches us to bear our own sufferings, great and small, with quiet trust in God.
Saint Apollonia, faithful in suffering, pray for us who ache in body and in heart, that we may hold fast to Christ as you did, and find in Him our healing and our peace. Amen.