APOLLONIA of MACEDONIA. – A city of Migdonia, later of eastern Macedonia or “first” Macedonia: today Pollina, situated south of Lake Bolbe (today Besik). Dedicated to Apollo, like other cities of the same name in Illyria and Thrace, it was of some importance (cf. Pliny, Hist. Nat., IV, 7; Athenaeus, VIII, 334), because the Egnatian Way, later extended as far as Byzantium, had its terminus there.
St. Paul made a stop in it with Silas (Acts 17:3) during his second apostolic journey, going from Philippi to Thessalonica, from which Apollonia is 57 km distant; but there is no evidence that he preached there.
The episcopal see of Hierissos (Gerisso), today a titular see, is connected with Apollonia.