Apollinaria

Holy Martyr Apollinaria is commemorated together with Holy Martyr Drosis of Rome and the other four virgins, Aglaida, Daria, Mamphusa and Thais. They are commemorated on 4 April. The names of the five virgins are not included in the present Menologion of the Russian Church.

Drosis and the five virgins

Saint Drosis was the daughter of Emperor Trajan (98 to 117), a cruel persecutor of Christians. In 99 he renewed an older law that forbade secret societies and touched Christians indirectly, and in 104 he issued a law specifically against Christians. From that year the persecution lasted until the end of his reign. At that time the bodies of slain Christians often remained unburied, to frighten others. Five Christian virgins, Aglaida, Apollinaria, Daria, Mamphusa and Thais, took on themselves the labour of burying Christians. They secretly carried off the martyrs' bodies, anointed them with fragrances, wrapped them in shrouds and buried them. Learning of it, the princess Drosis, a secret Christian, not yet baptised, asked the holy virgins to take her with them when they went to bury Christians. On the advice of her betrothed, the court official Adrian, a guard was set by the slain, to seize those who buried them. On the very first night Saint Drosis and the five virgins were seized. Recognising his daughter among the captives, Trajan ordered her kept apart, in hope that she would think better of it. The other holy virgins were sentenced to be burned in a bronze-⁠smelting furnace. They bravely accepted the sentence and were found worthy of the martyrs' crowns. From the bronze mixed with the ashes of the martyrs burned in the furnace tripods were forged for Trajan's new bath. But as long as the tripods stood in the bath, no one could enter: whoever crossed the threshold fell dead. When the priests understood why this was happening, they advised removing the tripods.

The statues

Then Adrian proposed to the emperor to melt the tripods and make from them five statues of naked maidens, like the slain martyrs, and set them, for mockery, before the entrance of the imperial bath. Trajan agreed. After the statues were set up, the emperor saw in a dream five pure lambs grazing in paradise and a shepherd who said to him: "O most lawless and impious emperor. Those whose images you meant to set up for mockery, the Good and Merciful Shepherd has taken from you and settled here, where in time the pure lamb Drosis, your daughter, will also come." Waking, the lawless Trajan raged and ordered two enormous furnaces lit and kept burning every day. On the furnaces the imperial order was hung: "Galilean men, who worship the Crucified, spare yourselves many torments and us the labour: offer sacrifice to the gods. But if you will not, then let each of you throw himself voluntarily, as he wishes, into this furnace." Many Christians went voluntarily to the torments.

The baptism and martyrdom of Drosis

Learning of this, Saint Drosis resolved to receive also the death of a martyr for Christ. In her confinement she prayed that the Lord would help her to leave the prison unnoticed. And God heard her prayer: the guards fell asleep. Gaining freedom, Saint Drosis set out for the furnace, but thought to herself: "How shall I go to God without a wedding garment (that is, without Baptism), for I am unclean. But, King of kings, Lord Jesus Christ, for You I left my royal estate, that You might make me worthy to be at least a doorkeeper in Your Kingdom. Baptise me Yourself with Your Holy Spirit." Praying, Saint Drosis anointed herself with the holy chrism she had brought with her and, immersing herself three times in the water, said: "The handmaid of God Drosis is baptised in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Seven days the saint hid, given to fasting and prayer. During this time Christians found her and from her account learned all that had happened. On the eighth day Holy Martyr Drosis went to the burning furnace and threw herself into the fire.