Saint Aquilina was born in the year 1745 A.D. in Zagliveri of Thessaloniki to Christian parents. Her father’s name was George. Her mother – whose name is not known to us – was a deeply pious woman and inspired her from a very young age to love Christ. A shocking event, not only for their family but for the whole of Zagliveri, was the occasion of Aquilina’s martyrdom. Her father quarreled with a Turk and in his anger killed him. All the inhabitants of Zagliveri were upset and locked themselves in their houses, fearing the retaliation of the Turks. George was sentenced to death, which he could only avoid if he converted, if he became a Muslim. In the face of the fear of death and his love for the material goods offered by the Pasha, George bent and converted to Muslimism with the promise that his whole family would follow his example. When the Zagliberians heard that a Christian had converted, they could not believe it. But his wife and daughter, Aquilina, also wore black and mourned the “fall” of the man of the family. Mother and daughter prepared for martyrdom by making themselves models of spiritual struggle. In 1764 A.D. the Pasha’s son met Akilina at the spring and asked her for a wife. George was then delighted at the honour the Pasha had bestowed on him and, of course, at the financial benefit he would have. He thus began the effort to Islamize his daughter. At first he took kindly to her, extolling the material, economic and social advantages she would gain. But Aquilina, imbued with love for Christ, refused to turn Turk, confessing that she was born a Christian, was born a Christian and would die a Christian. The ruthless father led his daughter through terrible torture that lasted three whole days. She, remaining devoted to her Bridegroom Christ, breathed her last on September 27, 1764.
Martyrdom: the best way of Orthodox witness
Ever since our Lord came into the world and established His Kingdom on earth, the history of the Church has witnessed martyrdom, that is, the death of Christians in various horrible ways because of their faith. Indeed, this seems to play a decisive role in the spread of the Gospel.
The example was set by Christ Himself, who suffered death on the cross out of love for the Church, as the Apostle Paul emphasizes, “As Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her” (Eph.5). 25-26) So the Church in turn, beginning with the apostles, continuing with the martyrs, then the neo-martyrs and today the “neo-martyrs” has repaid and repaid Christ’s sacrifice through the martyrdom of those who truly love Him. The pagans had the same hostile spirit towards the Church as the Ottomans and today’s fanatical Islamists, who – as in the past so today – believe that with the death of Christians their faith will be destroyed. But the exact opposite effect is achieved: With their inhuman massacres they have watered and are watering the tree of faith in Jesus so that it can triumph. I think what a gift the Church received from that terrible act of Aquinas’ father…
This cowardly, cowardly, cowardly man, who bent before the yatagani of the Pasha, the traitor of his faith, offered the Church a missionary model, not only for the inhabitants of Zagliveri and the neighbouring villages or the people of that time, but for all of us, the people of the following centuries.
It is indeed true that martyrdom is the best way of Orthodox witness or missionary work, for just as the apostles assured us by their sacrifice that they were eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection, in the same way martyrs convince us that they experienced the risen Christ.
