Saint Antonina came from the city of Krodamna (Asia Minor). As a Christian, she was brought before the governor Fistus, who urged her to worship the pagan gods, promising to grant her the honorable title of priestess of the goddess Artemis. She bravely confessed Christ and urged the governor to renounce the worship of demons. Fistus ordered her to be beaten on the face and imprisoned. In prison, the martyr remained in prayer, not eating or drinking, but one day she heard the voice of God: "Antonina, be strengthened with food and be courageous, I am with you." When she was brought back to the governor, she continued to stand firm for the Christian faith. The governor decided to hand the holy virgin over to be dishonored by the soldiers, but the Lord inspired one of them, Saint Alexander, to save the martyr. He suggested that she put on his clothes and flee. Saint Antonina, frightened, agreed at the Lord's command. Wearing the soldier's cloak, she went out of captivity unnoticed. The soldiers sent by Fistus found Saint Alexander alone, who did not respond to any of the governor's questions and was subjected to torture. By the inspiration of the Lord, Saint Antonina also appeared before Fistus. Both of them had their hands cut off, then were smeared with tar and thrown into a pit of fire. When the fire went out, the pit was filled with earth so that Christians could not even collect the bones of the martyrs. Upon returning home, Fistus became mute, unable to eat or drink, and after seven days of severe torment, he died. Saints Alexander and Antonina passed away on May 3, 313. In the Prologues, their memory is commemorated on June 10. The relics of the saints were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Maximov Monastery.
