by Bishop Gregory of Mesaoria
Today, June 10, our Church honors the Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antonina.
Martyr Antonina was a heroic Christian born in Kardamo. Endowed with physical and spiritual beauty, she lived in temperance, helping with all her strength but also financially the impoverished and wretched fellow human beings. She was accused for her Christian faith and was brought in front of Governor Festus, who arrested and questioned her.
Saint Antonina confessed Christ and called the Governor to repent and be baptized a Christian. Instead, he ordered to put her in a brothel. However, her heartfelt prayers caused a disastrous earthquake in the house, and they threw her out. Festus re-arrested her and forcefully sent her into another infamous brothel. But a Christian, named Alexander, went to her and helped her escape dressed in his own clothes. Festus was infuriated when he learned about her escape, and ordered the immediate arrest of both of them. After their apology, Festus ordered their cruel torture. After they mutilated them, the soldiers spilled pitch all over their bodies and threw them into the fire.
Along with the burning of the bodies of the Saints, the persecutors thought they would burn the broad-leaved tree of the Church. Little did they know, however, because they actually gave Alexander and Antonina the crowns of martyrdom.
Holy Martyrs Antonina and Alexander proved that the purity of the body and the resistance of man to the earthly pleasures is possible. It suffices for man to struggle with faith and to invoke the grace of the Holy Spirit so as to fight any obstacle with humility and obedience to the Will of the Trinitarian God.
