Maximilian of Thavaste, Martyr, First Recorded Conscientious Objector

Last updated on: February 13, 2023 at 9:12 am by Jack Hartjes

Maximilian of Thavaste, Martyr, First Recorded Conscientious Objector 2023-02-13T09:12:58-06:00 Jack Hartjes

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.

An icon of St. Maximilian holding a scroll with words visible: "I will not be a soldier of this..."

Maximilian of Thavaste (Tebessa) refused to fight in the Roman army. He was a “soldier of Christ.”

Military Wiki, a free military encyclopedia to which anyone can contribute, isn’t all about honor on the battlefield. I was surprised to find there an article about St. Maximilian of Thavaste (today Tebessa in Algeria). He was beheaded by the sword, a weapon he refused to take up.

This is a post in the series on Ordinary Radicals. Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals remembers Maximilian in its March 12 entry. The prayer book notes that this is also the date, in 1977, that Rutilio Grande met a martyr’s fate in El Salvador. He was a non-violent agitator and spokesperson for the oppressed poor in that country.

Long before 274, the year of Maximilian’s birth, Rome had annexed Numidia, but relations were anything but peaceful. There were several attempts by Numidians to establish their own powerful state. Julius Caesar but a stop to the last in 46 BCE. After that, with a Roman legion in permanent residence, a period of prosperity ensued. Maximilian’s father, Fabius Victor, was a soldier in that Roman army.

Martyrdom

At age 21 Maximilian had to enlist. Before the proconsul he refused to swear allegiance to the emperor as a soldier. A Catholic saints site says we have “an early, precious, almost unembellished account” of Maximilian’s martyrdom:

Brought before the proconsul Dion, Maximilian refused enlistment in the Roman army saying, “I cannot serve, I cannot do evil. I am a Christian.”

Dion replied: “You must serve or die.”

Maximilian: “I will never serve. You can cut off my head, but I will not be a soldier of this world, for I am a soldier of Christ. My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world. I tell you I am a Christian.”

Dion: “There are Christian soldiers serving our rulers Diocletian and Maximian, Constantius and Galerius.”

Maximilian: “That is their business. I also am a Christian, and I cannot serve.”

Dion: “But what harm do soldiers do?”

Maximilian: “You know well enough.”

Dion: “If you will not do your service I shall condemn you to death for contempt of the army.”

Maximilian: “I shall not die. If I go from this earth, my soul will live with Christ my Lord.”

Maximilian believed that, as soldiers for Christ, we can die for Christ but we cannot kill for him. That meant his immediate beheading. He is the first conscientious objector whose name we know. Probably there were other Christians during that time who refused military service and were executed. (Source: Peoplepill.com)

Influence today

Military Wiki reports:

The 1970s anti-Vietnam War clergy group Order of Maximilian took their name from him. Maximilian’s name has been regularly read out, as a representative conscientious objector from the Roman Empire, at the annual ceremony marking International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, 15 May, at the Conscientious Objectors Commemorative Stone, Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, London.

St. Maximilian’s feast day is March 12.

Image credit: Saint of the Day

Ordinary radicals

Previous Post

March 10, 2020

Globalization, the One and the Many, and Jesus

Next Post

March 16, 2020 Rachel Corrie Remembered on the Day she Died Advocating for Palestinians

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Christmas Amazon Synod Angels Being Consumed Bible Catholic Modern Creed Ecology Economics Elizabeth Johnson Eucharist Fragments and Filaments Gender and Sex Gospel of Mark Herzog Historical Jesus Liturgy Luke Opening Scriptures on Way to Emmaus Ordinary radicals Parables Pro-Life Reincarnation Rosary Sacraments science Social Justice Souls Stories of Jesus The Creed Torture and Eucharist Tracy Uncategorized War and Peace

Select a Month October 2026 June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 July 2024 March 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 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

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz