Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antonina

Life

They were both from Alexandria — Antonina, an honorable maiden, and Alexander, an imperial soldier. Both were Christians. First Antonina was brought to trial and to torture. When she was cast into prison, Alexander, by the command of an angel of God, went to the prison (although until then unknown to Antonina), wrapped her in his military cloak, told her to bow her head and go past the guards at the doors. Thus the maiden escaped, and the soldier remained in the prison. Then Alexander was brought before the judge and they began to torture him for the name of Christ. Hearing of this, Antonina presented herself to the judge, who began to subject them both to various tortures. He cut off their hands, then beat them on their naked bodies, and burned their wounds with candles, and finally cast them into a fire that had been kindled in a pit and covered them with earth. They suffered honorably for the love of Christ and departed to the courts of the heavenly King on May 3, 313. The malicious judge, Festus, at the moment of the martyrs' death, became mute, and a mad spirit seized him which tormented him for seven days and finally killed him.