Story
Saint Dionysius of Alexandria recounted to us, in a letter he addressed to Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, the sufferings which the martyrs endured in Alexandria during the reign of Decius (Dacius). In it he wrote: "The persecution among us did not begin with the imperial edict (in the year 250 A.D.), but preceded it by a whole year. The inventor and author of evils in this city, whoever he was, came beforehand and stirred up and incited the heathen multitudes against us, rekindling in them anew the venom of the superstitions of their land. And having thus roused them, and finding every opportunity to commit any kind of evil, they reckoned that the holiest service they could render to their demons was to slay us" (Eusebius 6:41).
Saint Dionysius gave examples of the firstfruits of this persecution, which took place in the year 249. He spoke of the martyrdom of Metras (or Metrius), of Quinta the believer, of Serapion, and also of the aged virgin Apollonia...
[Saint Apollonia (St. Apolline, S. Polonia), by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1636, oil on canvas, Height: 113 cm (44.4 in); Width: 66 cm (25.9 in), Denon, 1st floor, Spanish Paintings, Room 26 – The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre), Paris, France.]
Her Devout Life:
At the gate of Alexandria there lived a pious virgin, advanced in years, of a noble and wealthy family. In her love for God she lived from her youth a devout life, given to worship, asceticism, and almsgiving.
When her parents fell asleep, she vowed her life to virginity, spending all her time in worship together with generous giving to the poor; and she chose to dwell in a simple house outside the walls of the city.... Thus the sweet fragrance of Christ went forth from her life.
Her Standing Before the Governor:
When tribulation began to fall upon the believers in Alexandria, the pagans took to storming into their homes and dragging them out, with no regard for age, sex, or rank. She resolved to meet with the governor at dawn one day, to speak with him frankly about these monstrous crimes!
She spent her night in prayer, and at dawn she set out to him—not to provoke him against herself, but to turn him from his wickedness and bring him to reconsider what he was doing. When she met him, she said to him boldly, with firmness, candor, and courtesy: "My lord, how is it that you have wrought these injustices and brought this destruction upon those entrusted to your care, without fearing the God of gods and King of kings—encouraging these crimes without understanding, slaying the servants of God?!"
The governor reproached her for speaking to him with such audacity, trying to calm her zeal; and when he could not, he threatened her with death if she would not offer incense to the idols.
But she paid no heed to his threats.
The governor brought her to a pagan temple and bade her bow down in worship; but she felt a spiritual power filling her, and then she made the sign of the cross, so that the idols fell and were shattered.... In wondrous calm she began to speak to the crowds of onlookers about the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving work, and many were drawn by her serene discourse, while some set upon her with blows and insults.
Her Martyrdom:
The governor began to torture this devout virgin while taunting her, saying: "Where is your God who is able to help you?"—trying to make her recant her conviction and submit to him.
The governor practiced every kind of violence: now ordering some of her limbs to be cut off, now her teeth to be broken and her mouth struck violently until the blood flowed.
In the midst of her sufferings she forgot all that was around her and knelt to ask the aid of her heavenly Bridegroom; and those present heard a heavenly voice saying: "I have accepted your prayer, O bride of Christ."
They prepared for her a blazing fire and then commanded her to worship the idols, or else they would cast her into the furnace.... But she stood still for a moment, until those present supposed that she had begun to waver and reconsider. Before long, with all eyes fixed upon her to see what she would do before the fire, behold, in calm and courage she walked of her own accord toward the flames, her hands outstretched in prayer, and entered into the midst of the fire by her own will, to deliver up her spirit into the hands of her Saviour.
Saint Augustine says that it does not befit anyone to hasten of his own accord to death; but what this saint did was at the calling of the Holy Spirit upon her.
Many churches and altars were raised in the name of this saint who was martyred at Alexandria, and the West celebrates her feast on the ninth of February