Dentists / Apollonia, d. 249, Feast Day: February 9

During festivities celebrating the Roman occupation of Egypt, a violent mob began attacking Christians. Apollonia, a revered deaconess, was repeatedly hit in the face until her teeth were broken. Confronted with a raging bonfire if she did not denounce her faith, she voluntarily threw herself into the flames. Another version of this story says that she was tortured by having her teeth pulled with pincers before being burned.

Invoked: against toothache