Siant Apollonia was a holy virgin who suffered martyrdom in Alexandria during a local uprising against Christians in the early third century.
At the time, public celebrations marking the founding of the Roman Empire turned violent. A hostile crowd began attacking Christians throughout the city.
The sufferings of Apollonia were later described by Dionysius, who served as Bishop of Alexandria from 247 to 265. According to his account, men seized her and repeatedly struck her until all her teeth were broken. They then built a pile of sticks outside the city and threatened to burn her alive unless she agreed to speak words against Christ or call upon pagan gods.
When she was briefly released at her own request, Apollonia chose not to deny her faith. Instead, she courageously threw herself into the fire and was burned to death.
Siant Apollonia belongs to a group of early Christian martyrs who willingly accepted death rather than renounce their belief in Christ. Because of the severe suffering she endured to her teeth, she is popularly invoked for relief from toothaches. In Christian art, she is often shown holding a pair of pincers with a tooth.