Toothache Chapel of Saint Apollonia on De Groote Heide

Saint Apollonia is the patroness of dentists, dental technicians and all sufferers of toothache. People with toothaches or children whose milk teeth are falling out can turn to her here.

Apollonia of Alexandria, Egypt; martyr; † 249.
Feast 8 (previously) & 9 February.Apollonia was an elderly deaconess and lived a virgin for Christ's sake in Alexandria. During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Decius (249-251) she was arrested and exhorted to return to the ancient Roman gods. When she remained steadfast in her faith, she was subjected to all kinds of torture; so all her teeth were knocked out of her mouth. When the executioners prepared a funeral pyre for her, she of her own accord jumped into the fire, "while the fire of the Holy Spirit set her heart aflame," says the old martyr's book.

Apollonia is depicted with a (tooth in the) pincers, or with a tooth in the hand; with palm branch (victory sign of martyrdom); with fire.She is the patroness of dentists, dental technicians and of toothache sufferers; also from cows. Her intercession is invoked for headaches, nasal congestion, toothaches and toothaches.In ancient times, when children lost a baby tooth, they had to throw the tooth over their head in the direction of a statue of Saint Apollonia, especially not looking back and saying: 'Tooth, tooth another tooth, next year a new tooth'.