History of Christian Martyrs to the First
General Persecutions
Under Nero
Christ our
Savior, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, hearing the confession of
Simon Peter, who, first of all other, openly acknowledged Him to
be the Son of God, and perceiving the secret hand of His Father
therein, called him (alluding to his name) a rock, upon which
rock He would build His Church so strong that the gates of hell
should not prevail against it. In which words three things are
to be noted: First, that Christ will have a Church in this
world. Secondly, that the same Church should mightily be
impugned, not only by the world, but also by the uttermost
strength and powers of all hell. And, thirdly, that the same
Church, notwithstanding the uttermost of the devil and all his
malice, should continue.
Which prophecy
of Christ we see wonderfully to be verified, insomuch that the
whole course of the Church to this day may seem nothing else but
a verifying of the said prophecy. First, that Christ hath set up
a Church, needeth no declaration. Secondly, what force of
princes, kings, monarchs, governors, and rulers of this world,
with their subjects, publicly and privately, with all their
strength and cunning, have bent themselves against this Church!
And, thirdly, how the said Church, all this notwithstanding,
hath yet endured and holden its own! What storms and tempests it
hath overpast, wondrous it is to behold: for the more evident
declaration whereof, I have addressed this present history, to
the end, first, that the wonderful works of God in His Church
might appear to His glory; also that, the continuance and
proceedings of the Church, from time to time, being set forth,
more knowledge and experience may redound thereby, to the profit
of the reader and edification of Christian faith.
As it is not
our business to enlarge upon our Savior's history, either before
or after His crucifixion, we shall only find it necessary to
remind our readers of the discomfiture of the Jews by His
subsequent resurrection. Although one apostle had betrayed Him;
although another had denied Him, under the solemn sanction of an
oath; and although the rest had forsaken Him, unless we may
except "the disciple who was known unto the
high-priest"; the history of His resurrection gave a new
direction to all their hearts, and, after the mission of the
Holy Spirit, imparted new confidence to their minds. The powers
with which they were endued emboldened them to proclaim His
name, to the confusion of the Jewish rulers, and the
astonishment of Gentile proselytes.
I. St. Stephen
St. Stephen
suffered the next in order. His death was occasioned by the
faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel to the betrayers
and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness were they
excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to
death. The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have
been at the passover which succeeded to that of our Lord's
crucifixion, and to the era of his ascension, in the following
spring.
Upon this a
great persecution was raised against all who professed their
belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are
immediately told by St. Luke, that "there was a great
persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;" and
that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions
of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles."
About two
thousand Christians, with Nicanor, one of the seven deacons,
suffered martyrdom during the "persecution that arose about
Stephen."
II. James the
Great
The next martyr we
meet with, according to St. Luke, in the History of the Apsotles'
Acts, was James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John,
and a relative of our Lord; for his mother Salome was cousin-german
to the Virgin Mary. It was not until ten years after the death
of Stephen that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner
had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a
view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp
persecution against the Christians, and determined to make an
effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. The account given
us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought
not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of
martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by
the apostle's extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell
down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a
Christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown
of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same
time. Thus did the first apostolic martyr cheerfully and
resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Savior he was
ready to drink. Timon and Parmenas suffered martyrdom about the
same time; the one at Philippi, and the other in Macedonia.
These events took place A.D. 44.
III. Philip
Was born at
Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of
"disciple." He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and
suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged,
thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54.
IV. Matthew
Whose occupation
was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his
gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by
James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and
Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being
slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.
V. James the
Less
Is supposed by
some to have been the brother of our Lord, by a former wife of
Joseph. This is very doubtful, and accords too much with the
Catholic superstition, that Mary never had any other children
except our Savior. He was elected to the oversight of the
churches of Jerusalem; and was the author of the Epistle
ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four
he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains
dashed out with a fuller's club.
VI. Matthias
Of whom less is
known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill
the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then
beheaded.
VII. Andrew
Was the brother
of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on
his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the
two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence
the derivation of the term, St. Andrew's Cross.
VIII. St. Mark
Was born of
Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been
converted to Christianity by Peter, whom he served as an
amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his Gospel in
the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of
Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending
his life under their merciless hands.
IX. Peter
Among many
other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death,
and crucified, as some do write, at Rome; albeit some others,
and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that
Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which,
when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado
that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at
length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the
gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to whom he,
worshipping, said, "Lord, whither dost Thou go?" To
whom He answered and said, "I am come again to be
crucified." By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be
understood, returned into the city. Jerome saith that he was
crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so
requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified
after the same form and manner as the Lord was.
X. Paul
Paul, the apostle,
who before was called Saul, after his great travail and
unspeakable labors in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered
also in this first persecution under Nero. Abdias, declareth
that under his execution Nero sent two of his esquires, Ferega
and Parthemius, to bring him word of his death. They, coming to
Paul instructing the people, desired him to pray for them, that
they might believe; who told them that shortly after they should
believe and be baptised at His sepulcher. This done, the
soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of
execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to
the sword.
XI. Jude
The brother of
James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa,
A.D. 72.
XII.
Bartholomew
Preached in
several countries, and having translated the Gospel of Matthew
into the language of India, he propagated it in that country. He
was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient
idolaters.
XIII. Thomas
Called Didymus,
preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the
rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust
through with a spear.
XIV. Luke
The evangelist,
was the author of the Gospel which goes under his name. He
travelled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed
to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests
of Greece.
XV. Simon
Surnamed Zelotes,
preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain,
in which latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74.
XVI. John
The "beloved
disciple," was brother to James the Great. The churches of
Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira,
were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to
Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of
boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian
afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote
the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian,
recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent
death.
XVII. Barnabas
Was of Cyprus,
but of Jewish descent, his death is supposed to have taken place
about A.D. 73.
And yet,
notwithstanding all these continual persecutions and horrible
punishments, the Church daily increased, deeply rooted in the
doctrine of the apostles and of men apostolical, and watered
plentously with the blood of saints.
