St. Apollonia
Feast 02-09 · Canonized Pre-Congregation
Patron of
About
Apollonia was a deaconess of the church of Alexandria who was martyred around 249, during a riot against Christians that followed the edict of the emperor Decius. An elderly woman of great virtue, she was seized by a mob that beat her and knocked out or broke all of her teeth.
Her captors built a fire and threatened to throw her into it unless she renounced Christ. Asking for a moment to pray, she then leapt into the flames herself rather than deny her faith.
Because of the torture she endured, Apollonia is invoked against toothache and all diseases of the teeth. She is the patron saint of dentistry and of dentists, and is often depicted holding a tooth in a pair of pincers.
Suggested prayer
O God, who gave Apollonia courage to leap into the flames rather than deny Your Son, grant through her intercession relief to all who suffer toothache and skill to those who care for their teeth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
