DAILY SAINTS I June 30 I First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

First Martyrs of the Church of Rome We honor the first Martyrs of the Church of Rome, persecuted and killed by the Emperor Nero. Nero’s persecution was connected with the Great Fire of Rome which began on July 18 in 64 AD, lasting six days and seven nights, destroying almost three-quarters of the city of Rome. Many Roman citizens believed Nero to have been at fault, so the Emperor used Christians as the scapegoats to blame the destruction. These were nameless Christian men, women and children from all professions and walks of life who were brutally tormented and killed. The pagan historian Tacitus and St. Clement of Rome tell of a night of horror (August 15, 64 A.D.) when in the imperial parks Christians were put into animal skins and hunted, were brutally attacked, and were made into living torches to light the road for Nero's chariot. From 64 to 314 ‘Christian’ was synonymous with ‘execution victim’.