Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica

Matrona was a household slave in Thessalonica, owned by Pautilla, the wife of a military commander of the city. Raised a Christian from her youth, she secretly went to church, and her mistress, who wanted her to give up her faith, beat her repeatedly and locked her up.

According to her Passion, she was found each morning freed from her bonds and at prayer, and once survived four days shut away without food or water. At last she died of a beating, and Pautilla threw her body down from the high house. Christians buried her, and later Bishop Alexander of Thessalonica built a church in her name and laid her relics there. She died in the 3rd or 4th century.