Great Martyr Christina of Tyre

Great Martyr Christina was born in the city of Tyre to a pagan ruler and from childhood was dedicated to the priesthood of pagan gods. Contemplating the beauty and order of the surrounding world, she came to the conviction that all of it was governed by One true God, not a multitude of idols. After an angel appeared to her, she smashed the idols standing in her temple. Her enraged father subjected her to the cruelest torments: scourging, torture on a red-hot wheel, an attempt to drown her in the sea — but the saint was miraculously saved by an angel. The rulers Dion and Julian, who succeeded her father, continued the torments: they threw her into prison, into a white-hot furnace, where she spent five days unharmed. Through her steadfast confession of faith, St. Christina converted about 3,000 people to Christ. In the end she was killed by the sword. Her memory is kept on July 24/August 6.