Some Famous Martyrs of the Roman Persecutions

There were a lot of people who died and became martyr during the Roman persecutions. The word martyr is actually a Greek word meaning witness. Faithful Christians would try to avoid persecution, but if hours of torture and a terrible death resulted from witnessing to their faith, they willingly accepted it.

St. Stephen was the very first deacon of the Church and the first Christian Martyr in Christian history. He was stoned to death for simply being a Christian (see Acts 7:58). Saul of Tarsus (later known as Paul the Apostle, after his conversion) was there at this event.

At the end of St. Paul's campaign, Emperor Nero had him beheaded. It was because Paul was a Roman citizen that he was beheaded, because Roman citizens could not be crucified. Peter on the other hand was crucified and crucified upside down by his request because he felt he was not worthy to be crucified in the same manner as Christ, his Savior.

Every one of the Apostles were martyred except for St. John, known as the Beloved Disciple. His persecutors tried to burn him alive in boiling oil, but he survived. So after that he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the book of Revelation. He died of old age in A.D. 100.

Here are some other famous martyrs who died for their beliefs:

St. Agnes was killed by a sword to the throat after attempts to burn her alive were unsuccessful.

St. Agatha the patroness of breast disease, had her breasts cut off.

St. Lucy her eyes were plucked out. (she's the patroness of eye disease and ailments also the patroness of Sicily)

St. Sebastian was martyred by arrows.

St. Lawrence was roasted alive on a hot gridiron.

St. Cecilia was beheaded after attempts to suffocate her were unsuccessful.

St. Polycarp, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Thecia, St. Boris, St. Gleb, St. Sabbas, and many, many others were martyred in many different ways. Some were fed to wild animals and some skinned alive. Others were burned, poisoned, stoned, crushed, speared, whipped, drowned, and crucified.

Looking back upon how early Christians were treated for their beliefs, it should make us realize how easy we have it in most Christian populations, to follow our beliefs without fear of death.