Born in Alexandria, Egypt in the second century, Apollonia was part of a Christian community that came under attack during a celebration of the founding of Rome. 

A local poet had predicted that there would be a calamity caused by the followers of Christ. This prompted an Egyptian mob to rise and lash out against the Christian community. 

A Christian man and woman were seized and killed, houses were destroyed, and then they turned on Apollonia, who was a Deaconess. 

They beat her severely, knocking out all her teeth, and then threatened to burn her alive unless she denied Jesus Christ and her faith. 

Instead, she ran directly into the fire, where she died. Apollonia is the Patron Saint of dentists. 

St. Apollonia, please pray for us.