And yet. The Christinas are celebrating today, as the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saint Christina the Great Martyr.
What do we know about her life?
Saint Christina originated from Tyre in Syria and was the daughter of the general Urbanus (circa 200 AD). Her father built her a tower and locked her inside, while he constructed statues of idols and commanded her to sacrifice to them. She refused and confessed her faith in Christ.
She was subjected to torture by her own father and later imprisoned, where her torment continued day and night, yet she did not yield.
When her father died, a new general named Dions was appointed, who commanded that she be subjected to further tortures.
After Dions, a certain Julian took over, who among other things threw her into a heated furnace, into a cage with venomous snakes, which instead of biting her, licked her feet with compassion.
She endured dozens of other tortures until she surrendered her spirit.
Her relics in Venice
The incorrupt relics of Saint Great Martyr Christina were stolen by the Roman Catholics during the fall of Constantinople in 1204.
Today, they are kept in the Catholic Church of Saint Francis of the Vine in Venice.
It is perhaps the best-preserved relic of a saint in the Christian world.
See: Who else is celebrating today, July 24