First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Feast Day: June 30
In July of A.D. 64, a great fire swept through Rome.
It burned for days.
Much of the city was destroyed.
Rumors spread that the Emperor Nero himself had started it.
Nero needed someone to blame.
He chose the Christians.
Holy Martyrs of Rome, pray for us.
The Fire of Rome
The Roman historian Tacitus, who was not a Christian, described what happened.
To stop the rumors against himself, Nero blamed the followers of “Christus,” who had been executed under Pontius Pilate.
Christians were a small, misunderstood group.
They made an easy target.
A Terrible Persecution
Tacitus describes how Christians were arrested in large numbers.
Some were dressed in animal skins and torn apart by dogs.
Some were crucified.
Some were set on fire at night to serve as human torches in Nero’s gardens.
Even many Romans who disliked Christians felt pity at the cruelty.
Who Were They?
We do not know their names.
They were ordinary men, women, and young people.
Some had probably heard St. Peter and St. Paul preach.
Pope St. Clement of Rome, writing around A.D. 96, remembered them as “a great multitude of the elect” who suffered terrible torments and gave a beautiful example.
Why June 30?
On June 29, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, who were martyred in Rome during this same persecution.
On the very next day, the Church remembers the many unnamed Christians who died with them.
The Apostles were not alone.
The Seed of the Church
Around A.D. 197, Tertullian wrote:
“The blood of Christians is seed.”
— Tertullian, Apologeticus
Nero tried to stamp out Christianity in Rome.
Today, the city is the center of the Catholic Church, and Nero is remembered as a villain.
The martyrs won.
What These Martyrs Teach Us
The first martyrs of Rome remind us that holiness does not depend on being famous.
Their names are known only to God.
But their faithfulness helped build the Church.
Many of the people who pass on the faith most powerfully are people the world never hears about: parents, grandparents, catechists, friends.
When Is the Feast?
The Catholic Church celebrates the optional memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church on June 30.
Prayer Inspired by the First Martyrs of Rome
Lord Jesus Christ,
the first Christians of Rome gave their lives for You in a time of terrible cruelty.
Thank You for their faithfulness.
Strengthen Christians who are persecuted today,
and help us remain faithful, even when we are misunderstood.
Holy Martyrs of Rome, pray for us. Amen.
