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. However, the saint boldly confessed Christ and urged the governor to renounce the worship of demons. Fistus ordered her to be beaten on the face and imprisoned. The martyr remained in prayer all the time, 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, the martyr continued to firmly stand for the Christian faith and rebuke the pagans. The governor decided to hand the holy maiden over to the soldiers for dishonor, but the Lord inspired one of them, Saint Alexander, to save the martyr. He asked for permission to enter the maiden's cell to persuade her to fulfill the governor's will. Saint Alexander offered the martyr to wear his clothes and escape. Saint Antonina was frightened, but the Lord commanded her to agree. Wearing the soldier's cloak, she left her confinement unnoticed. The soldiers sent by Fistus found Saint Alexander alone. When questioned by the governor, he did not answer a word, was subjected to tortures, and was brutally beaten. By the inspiration of the Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Antonina also appeared before Fistus. Both had their hands cut off, then were smeared with tar and thrown into a pit where a fire blazed. When the fire went out, the pit was filled with earth so that Christians could not even gather the bones of the martyrs. Upon returning home, Fistus became mute, could neither eat nor drink, and after seven days of severe torment, he died. The holy martyrs 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.
