St. Martina was born in Rome in the third century. Her parents died when she was very young, and left her a great deal of wealth, which she distributed to the needy. Martina vowed to live a chaste life, devoted to God, but the emperor Alexander ordered her to make sacrifices to the pagan gods. When Martina refused, she was subjected to many kinds of torture. St. Martina is ranked as one of Rome’s patrons.