68 events with tag "martyrdom"
551 BC
ID: 4651
Death of Zoroaster - killed by invaders at fire temple, religion continues spreading
ID: 4651
167 BC
ID: 2969
Hannah and seven sons martyred - mother watches seven sons tortured to death for refusing to eat pork, then dies herself
ID: 2969
34
ID: 4098
Martyrdom of St. Stephen - first Christian martyr, stoned to death outside Jerusalem while Saul (later Paul) holds the cloaks
ID: 4098
42
ID: 4099
Martyrdom of St. James the Greater - first apostle martyred, beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem
ID: 4099
62
ID: 4100
Martyrdom of St. James the Just - brother of the Lord, first bishop of Jerusalem, thrown from Temple pinnacle then stoned
ID: 4100
64
ID: 3834
St. Peter martyred in Rome - crucified upside down at his request, considering himself unworthy to die as Christ did
ID: 3834
64
ID: 4101
St. Paul martyred in Rome - beheaded on the Ostian Way during Nero's persecution, Roman citizen's execution
ID: 4101
67
ID: 4102
St. Mark martyred in Alexandria - dragged through streets with rope around neck until dead, founder of Alexandrian Church
ID: 4102
72
ID: 4103
St. Thomas martyred in India - apostle to India, speared to death near Madras (Chennai) while praying
ID: 4103
74
ID: 4104
St. Barnabas martyred in Cyprus - companion of Paul, stoned to death by Jews in Salamis
ID: 4104
79
ID: 3836
St. Anacletus becomes third pope - builds St. Peter's memorial shrine, martyred under Domitian
ID: 3836
80
ID: 4105
St. Matthew martyred in Ethiopia - killed while celebrating Mass, either by sword or burning according to different traditions
ID: 4105
90
ID: 4106
St. Andrew martyred in Patras - crucified on X-shaped cross (saltire), preached from cross for two days before dying
ID: 4106
99
ID: 3838
St. Clement I martyred - tied to anchor and thrown into Black Sea by order of Emperor Trajan
ID: 3838
107
ID: 4109
St. Simeon of Jerusalem martyred at 120 - successor of James the Just, crucified under Trajan after long torture
ID: 4109
108
ID: 3803
St. Ignatius of Antioch martyred - writes seven letters on way to Rome, eaten by lions in Colosseum, defends episcopal authority
ID: 3803
115
ID: 4110
St. Alexander I martyred - sixth pope, beheaded along with priests Eventius and Theodulus on Via Nomentana
ID: 4110
118
ID: 4160
St. Eustace (Placidus) martyred with family - Roman general, converted after seeing crucifix between stag's antlers, roasted in bronze bull
ID: 4160
125
ID: 4111
St. Sixtus I martyred - seventh pope, buried near St. Peter in Vatican, died during Hadrian's reign
ID: 4111
137
ID: 4112
St. Telesphorus martyred - eighth pope, only 2nd-century pope whose martyrdom is historically certain, died under Hadrian
ID: 4112
140
ID: 4159
St. Achatius martyred with 10,000 soldiers - Roman centurion, entire legion converted and martyred on Mount Ararat
ID: 4159
155
ID: 3804
St. Polycarp martyred at 86 - 'Eighty-six years I have served Him', fire refuses to burn him, finally killed by sword
ID: 3804
165
ID: 3805
St. Justin Martyr beheaded - philosopher convert, first to harmonize faith and reason, wrote First and Second Apology
ID: 3805
165
ID: 4834
Justin Martyr martyred in Rome - Beheaded with six companions under Marcus Aurelius for refusing to sacrifice to gods
ID: 4834
166
ID: 4115
St. Anicetus martyred - eleventh pope, met with Polycarp about Easter controversy, died under Marcus Aurelius
ID: 4115
177
ID: 4116
Martyrs of Lyon and Vienne - 48 Christians including St. Blandina (slave girl) tortured and killed in amphitheater
ID: 4116
177
ID: 4117
St. Pothinus martyred at 90 - first bishop of Lyon, died in prison from torture during Marcus Aurelius persecution
ID: 4117
178
ID: 4118
Scillitan Martyrs - first recorded martyrs of Africa, 12 Christians beheaded in Carthage for refusing to swear by emperor's genius
ID: 4118
180
ID: 4119
St. Cecilia martyred - Roman noblewoman, patron of music, survived suffocation attempt, beheaded after three strikes
ID: 4119
202
ID: 4990
Martyrdom of St. Irenaeus at Lyon - Doctor of the Church, established apostolic succession doctrine
ID: 4990
235
ID: 4148
St. Barbara martyred by her father Dioscorus - locked in tower, converted to Christianity, beheaded by father who was struck by lightning
ID: 4148
250
ID: 4149
St. Christopher martyred in Lycia - giant who carried travelers across river, converted after carrying Christ child, beheaded under Decius
ID: 4149
257
ID: 3858
St. Sixtus II becomes twenty-fourth pope - martyred with his deacons including St. Lawrence
ID: 3858
258
ID: 3813
St. Cyprian martyred - beheaded after caring for plague victims, reconciles with Pope before death
ID: 3813
258
ID: 4150
St. Denis (Dionysius) of Paris martyred - first bishop of Paris, beheaded at Montmartre, carried head 6 miles while preaching
ID: 4150
286
ID: 4151
St. Pantaleon martyred in Nicomedia - physician who treated poor for free, survived six execution attempts before beheading
ID: 4151
303
ID: 4152
St. Vitus martyred at age 12 - Sicilian boy tortured with his tutor and nurse, thrown to lions who refused to attack, boiled in oil
ID: 4152
303
ID: 4153
St. Erasmus (Elmo) martyred - bishop of Formia, intestines wound out on windlass, patron of sailors
ID: 4153
303
ID: 4154
St. George martyred at Lydda - Roman soldier who refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, survived multiple tortures, beheaded
ID: 4154
304
ID: 4155
St. Margaret of Antioch martyred - swallowed by dragon which burst open, beheaded after converting thousands
ID: 4155
304
ID: 4156
St. Cyriacus martyred in Rome - deacon who helped imprisoned Christians, tortured with boiling pitch, beheaded
ID: 4156
305
ID: 4157
St. Catherine of Alexandria martyred - learned virgin who converted 50 philosophers, broken wheel miracle, beheaded
ID: 4157
306
ID: 4173
St. Theodore slays dragon at Euchaita - Roman soldier kills dragon terrorizing city before his martyrdom (Byzantine chronicles)
ID: 4173
316
ID: 4158
St. Blaise martyred in Armenia - bishop and physician, lived as hermit, healed boy choking on fishbone, flesh torn with iron combs
ID: 4158
449
ID: 5016
Death of St. Flavian - Patriarch of Constantinople dies from beating received at Robber Council, martyr for orthodox Christology
ID: 5016
662
ID: 5028
Martyrdom of St. Maximus - tongue cut out and right hand cut off for defending two wills in Christ, dies in exile
ID: 5028
761
ID: 5034
Martyrdom of St. Stephen the Younger - monk dragged through streets and torn to pieces for defending icons
ID: 5034
869
ID: 2550
November 20, 869
Martyrdom of King Edmund of East Anglia - tied to tree and shot with arrows by Vikings for refusing to renounce Christianity
ID: 2550
870
ID: 2629
November 20, 870
St. Edmund martyred - King of East Anglia tortured and killed by Vikings for refusing to renounce Christianity
ID: 2629
978
ID: 2564
March 18, 978
Murder of Edward the Martyr - killed at Corfe Castle visiting stepmother, Ethelred becomes king
ID: 2564
1170
ID: 194
December 29, 1170
Thomas Becket murdered in Canterbury Cathedral - 'Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?'
ID: 194
1244
ID: 5305
March 16, 1244
Burning at Montségur - 225 Cathar perfecti refuse to recant, walk voluntarily into huge pyre at base of mountain
ID: 5305
1415
ID: 70
July 6, 1415
Jan Hus burned at Council of Constance despite imperial safe conduct
ID: 70
1431
ID: 28
May 30, 1431
St. Joan burned at Rouen - dies crying 'Jesus!' Heart found intact in ashes
ID: 28
1498
ID: 128
Savonarola burned but many consider him saint - Dominican reformer's 'bonfire of vanities' consumed by flames
ID: 128
1587
ID: 3512
February 8, 1587
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots at Fotheringhay - Protestant-raised James VI learns of Catholic mother's beheading - Creates lifelong pattern: outward Protestant conformity masking deep anxieties
ID: 3512
1642
ID: 3487
St. Isaac Jogues tortured by Mohawks - fingers cut off - Returns to missions: 'I would rather be tortured than idle' - Martyred 1646: 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus'
ID: 3487
1652
ID: 3418
St. Jean de Brébeuf martyred in Canada - Iroquois pour boiling water over head mocking baptism - Remains silent through 4 hours of torture - heart found intact
ID: 3418
1792
ID: 646
September Massacres - 300+ priests murdered; Blessed Pierre-Rene Rogue arrested
ID: 646
1794
ID: 654
Martyrdom of 16 Carmelites of Compiegne - sing Te Deum mounting scaffold, Terror ends within days
ID: 654
1910
ID: 1198
St. Maximilian Kolbe has vision of two crowns - Our Lady offers white (purity) and red (martyrdom) - 'I choose both!' - prophecy of Auschwitz
ID: 1198
1916
ID: 1242
December 1, 1916
Foucauld martyred by Senussi raiders - Dies clutching monstrance with Blessed Sacrament - Found with Sacred Heart and Holy Face images
ID: 1242
1927
ID: 1346
November 23, 1927
Blessed Miguel Pro martyred in Mexico - Refuses blindfold, extends arms as cross - 'Viva Cristo Rey!'
ID: 1346
1936
ID: 1452
Spanish Civil War - 13 bishops, 4,000 priests martyred (1936-1939) - Martyrs die crying 'Viva Cristo Rey!'
ID: 1452
1940
ID: 1501
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter refuses Nazi service - 'I cannot serve both Christ and Hitler' - Beheaded 1943
ID: 1501
1941
ID: 1510
August 14, 1941
St. Maximilian Kolbe at Auschwitz - Volunteers to die for family man - Killed by injection August 14
ID: 1510
1942
ID: 1522
St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) to Auschwitz - Jewish philosopher become Carmelite - Dies in gas chamber
ID: 1522
1980
ID: 1988
March 24, 1980
St. Óscar Romero martyred - Shot at altar after defending poor
ID: 1988