Blessed Mary of the Incarnation- St apollonius

Mary of the Incarnation was named Barbe Aurillot when she was born. She was 17 years old when she married Pierre Acarie; they had 6 children. Barbe was a loving wife and mother. She loved her Catholic faith too and taught her children, and many other people, about Jesus’ love. She was very busy with her own family, but she still found time to care for the sick and dying and to help the poor. Her husband died when she was 47 years old. She felt God was calling her to live the rest of her life as a nun, and since her children were grown up, she joined the Carmelite order. Her new name became Sister Mary of the Incarnation. Three of her daughters also became Carmelite nuns and one of her sons became a priest. She lived the rest of her life humbly loving and serving her fellow sisters in the convent St Apollonius Martyr whose Apologia, or defense of the faith, is considered one of the most priceless documents of the early Church. Apollonius was a Roman senator who was denounced as a Christian by one of his slaves. The Praetorian Prefect, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, arrested him, also putting the slave to death as an informer. Perennis demanded that Apollonius denounce the faith, and when he refused, the case was remanded to the Roman senate. There a debate took place between Perennis and Apollonius that clearly outlines the beauty and the value of Christianity. Despite his eloquent defense, Apollonius was condemned and beheaded.