The Martyrs of Lyon

Last updated on: March 25, 2016 at 6:22 pm by Father Pablo Migone

The Martyrs of Lyon 2016-03-25T18:22:13-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Forty-eight Christians were condemned and executed in the Roman city of Lugdunum, which at the time was the capital of the province Gallia Lugdunensis. Lugdunum was the most important Roman city west of Rome, known today as Lyon, France. The martyrdom of these brave men and women in 177 AD was recorded some years later by the historian Eusebius in the fifth chapter of his Eccelsiastical History.

Eusebius records that these men and women “heroically endured all that the people heaped on them: abuse, blows, dragging, despoiling, stoning, imprisonment, and all that an enraged mob is likely to inflict on their most hated enemies. They were dragged into the forum and interrogated before the entire populace by the tribune and the city authorities. When they confessed [to being Christian], they were locked up in prison to await the arrival of the governor.”

The charges initially brought against these Christians were atheism and impiety since they would not worship either the Roman gods or the gods of an established national group. Two pagan servants who were arrested with their Christian masters falsely accused their masters of “Oedipean marriages and Thyestean dinners” which is another way of accusing them of incest and cannibalism. These added charges did not help the arrested Christians. Some of them did defect out of fear by rejecting Christ, but most remained faithful.

The Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere stands where the Roman Forum once stood, marking where the martyrs were put on trail. A small plaque inside the old basilica chapel reads in French: “This chapel was built in 1168 on the place of the Roman Forum where the first martyrs of Lyon were condemned to death in 177.

Among the martyrs was the deacon Sanctus who during his trial answered to every question, “I am a Christian.” Eusebius records that, “he kept repeating this again and again instead of giving his name, birthplace, nationality, or anything else; and the pagan crowd heard not another word from him. As a result he only aroused the obstinacy of the governor and the torturers against him, and when they could think of nothing further to do to him, they finally tried pressing red-hot plates against the tenderest parts of his body. And though these did burn him, he none the less remained unbending and stubborn, firm in his confession of faith… His body bore witness to his sufferings, being all one bruise and one wound, stretched and distorted out of any recognizably human shape.”

For some of the martyrs, confessing to be Christians was enough to be condemned, while others were also accused of being murderers and criminals. They were accused of being “ignoble cowards” and of committing homicide.

Ruins of the Roman Forum of Lyon next to the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere

The martyrs were killed at the arena of the city, facing inhumane cruelty and wrath. As Attalus burnt to death he cried out, “Look you, what you are doing is cannibalism! We Christians are not cannibals, nor do we perform any other sinful act!”

After the execution of the martyrs, the Christian community was not allowed to take their bodies for proper burial. Eusebius records that “the bodies of the martyrs, exposed in every possible way and left unburied for six days, were then burned and reduced to ashes by these vicious men and swept into the river Rhone which flows hard by, so that not a single relic of their bodies might be left on earth.”

Their remains may have been taken by the waters of the Rhone, but their memory endures and these brave men and women await the resurrection of the dead at the end of time.

The arena where the martyrs were brutally killed, Lyon

Saint Blandina, pray for us.

Saint Sanctus, pray for us.
Saint Maturus, pray for us.
Saint Attalus, pray for us.
Saint Alexander, pray for us.
Saint Ponticus, pray for us.
Blessed Martyrs of Lyon, pray for us.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 11, 2013

Light in the Darkness

Next Post

November 23, 2013 The Jubilee Church: Modern in Rome?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Article Catholic Lima Christmas Commentary History Homily Immigration martyrs Meditation Pope Reflection Saint Story Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 January 2010 June 2009 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I built a 75-foot gallows for my enemy, but I was hanged on it instead. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Bigthana Ahasuerus Haman Mordecai