Saint Dorothy

Saint Dorothy was a young virgin already celebrated in Caesarea of Cappadocia, where she lived, for her angelic virtue. Her parents were martyred before her in the Diocletian persecution.

The soldiers came for little Dorothy. They beat her and tortured her but Dorothy stood firm and was faithful to Christ. She explained that the God she adored was majestic, above all emperors, who were mortal, and their gods, none of whom created either heaven or earth. The judge told to wicked women to take Dorothy and show her how silly it was to believe in Jesus Christ. Dorothy converted the two women and they both became Christians. The judge as now very furious!

She was stretched upon the rack, and offered her life if she would consent to sacrifice, or death if she refused. She asked why they delayed to torture her, they thought she would deny Christ out of fright. She said to them, “Do what you have to do, that I may see the One for whose love I fear neither death nor torments, Jesus Christ.”

It was mid-winter when Dorothy was put to death. There was no fruit or flowers in bloom. A pagan lawyer mocked her. He told her “send me some apples or roses from Heaven will you?” Moments before she died, an Angel stood at her side with three apples and three roses.

Dorothy said “take them to the lawyer.” She smiled and died. The lawyer became a Catholic and also died a martyr.