Story
This is the story of a girl of twelve years who grew up in Byblos in Palestine. In the reign of the Emperor Diocletian she came forward to martyrdom with surpassing courage, and the Lord Christ sustained her in the midst of the torments. She attained great renown in the early ages, especially in the East.
She came forward before the judge Volusian, steadfast in her faith, so he ordered iron skewers to be heated and thrust into her ears.
Her prayer while the skewers were being heated was: "O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast cared for me from my childhood, and hast enlightened my inward thoughts with the splendor of Thy justice; O Thou who strengthenest me with Thy mighty aid, that I may war against the adversary, the devil; O Thou who grantest to all Thy faithful the true and exalted wisdom: perfect my struggle and keep the lamp of my virginity, that I may enter the bridal chamber with the five wise virgins and praise Thee, O Thou who hearest all my petitions."
When the skewers were thrust into her ears, she suffered so greatly that she became as one dead, and she was cast outside the court of judgment. But an angel of the Lord healed her, that she might appear again before the judge the following day. He was astonished to see her, and he ordered her to be cast into prison and her neck to be struck with the sword.
Her feast is celebrated on the 13th of June