5.3 - Notable Christian Martyrs

Stephen

a Proto-martyr, was stoned to death c. 34 A.D.

James the Great

son of Zebedee, was beheaded in 44 A.D.

Philip

the apostle was crucified in 54 A.D.

Matthew

was killed with a halberd in 60 A.D.

James the less

son of Alphaeus was beaten to death with a club after being crucified and stoned

Matthias

was stoned and beheaded.

Andrew

Peter’s brother, was crucified

Mark

was dragged in the streets of Alexandria then beheaded

Peter

crucified upside-down

Paul

was beheaded in Rome

Jude

was crucified

Bartholomew

flayed alive and crucified

Thomas

was killed by a spear in India around 72 A.D.

Luke

was hanged to death

Simon the Zealot

was crucified in 74 A.D.

John the Evangelist

was the only Apostle who was not martyred.

John the Evangelist

According to tradition, he was cooked in burning in boiling hot oil but survived.

St Sebastian

He entered the Roman army so that he could assist the martyrs without arousing suspicion.

St Sebastian

Finally he was found out, brought before Emperor Diocletian and delivered to Mauritanian archers to be shot to death

• His body was pierced with arrows, and he was left for dead.

alive

St Sebastian was found out still ___ by those who came to bury him. He recovered, but refused to flee.

St Sebastian

One day, he took up a position near where the emperor was to pass.

• He accosted the emperor, denouncing him for his cruelty to Christians.

• This time the sentence of death was carried out.

• was beaten to death with clubs

St Lawrence

He was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome, Italy

St Lawrence

He is under Pope Sixtus II

St Lawrence

As deacon in Rome, he was responsible for the material goods of the Church and the distribution of alms to the poor.

gridiron, hot coals

The prefect was so angry that he had a great ____ prepared with ___ ____ beneath it, and had Lawrence placed on it

St Justin, the Apologist

He defended in writing the Christian religion against the attacks and misunderstandings of the pagans.

• Roman emperor

• Senate

2 of St Justin so called apologies came down to us; they were addressed to the ________ and to the ____.

beheaded

For his staunch adherence to the Christian religion, Justin was ____ in Rome in 165 A.

Perpetua & Felicity

Originated from Carthage and were sent to public games in the Roman amphitheater.

• There, they were beheaded, and the others were killed by the beasts.

Perpetua & Felicity

Despite threats of persecution and death, (a slave woman and expectant mother) and three companions refused to renounced their faith

St Policarp

was a bishop of Smyrna

• disciple of St. John the Apostle

• friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch.

St Polycarp

was led into the crowded Smyrna stadium to be burned alive.

• The flames did not harm him and he was finally killed by a dagger

St Agatha

She was a virgin-martyr of the early Church.

• She was martyred in Sicily during the persecution Emperor Decius

St Agatha

She was tortured on the rack

• her breast cut off and was rolled naked in the burning coal

St Agnes

She died during the Diocletian persecution

St Agnes

She was very young (12 - 13 years old)

• when she was martyred in the last half of the 3rd century.

St Agnes

• She was a beautiful girl whom many young men wanted to marry.

• Among those she refused, one reported her to the authorities for being a Christian.

St Agnes

• She was arrested and confined to a house of prostitution

• She was condemned, tortured with fire and beheaded.

• She was buried near Rome in a catacomb that eventually was named after her

Constantine the Great

It was issued by ______ that ended the three centuries of persecution & granted permanent freedom to the Church

Edict of Milan

In addition, Christian buildings were returned and many Churches were built; Christian doctrines on the Blessed Trinity, Christ, Mary, on the Church,

• Sacred Scriptures were developed; Rome was given to the Pope for them to exercise freely spirituality without much intervention from secular powers

Church & the State

there was close collaboration between the ____ & _____

Christianity

And most all, _____ became the official religion of the Roman Empire