Christian
Persecution
Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
A Christian Martyrs
is defined as a man or a woman who is murdered or put to
death for his Christian faith or convictions. Many Christian
martyrs suffered cruel and torturous deaths like stoning,
crucifixion, and burning at the stake at the Roman
Colosseum. The word 'martyr' comes from the Greek word
translated "witness." Martyrdom is the result of religious
persecution. The first known Christian martyr was Saint
Stephen as recorded in the Acts 6:8–8:3, who was stoned to
death at Jerusalem in A.D. 35. Many more Christian Martyrs
followed his fate and the Roman Colosseum became a place of
numerous Christian executions.
Persecution of
Christians
Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
There were many different
types of executions in the Colosseum. Christian Martyrs
were executed as common criminals by crucifixion or "damnatio
ad bestia" (thrown to the wild beasts). The vicious and
cruel emperors and Romans delighted in even more novel ways
of executing Christian Martyrs. The Emperor Nero introduced
twilight executions where hapless Christians were nailed to
the cross and burned alive as torches to light the arena of
the Colosseum.
Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
The Catholic church of the
Medieval and Renaissance periods believed that the Colosseum
should be revered as Holy due to the Christian Martyrs who
died within its walls. Various crosses in the middle of the
arena and the twelve stages of the Crucifixion were
regularly used for religious displays and processions
remained until February, 1874, when they were removed by
order of Commendatore Rosa. In the Roman Colosseum there is
now a cross to remember the Christians that died in the
arena. The Roman Emperors sat where the cross is now placed.
The
First Christian Martyr at the Roman Colosseum - Saint
Ignatius
The first of the Christian
Martyrs at the Colosseum was believed to be Saint Ignatius.
Ignatius was the Bishop of Antioch. In 107 AD the
Emperor Trajancame to Antioch and forced the Christians to choose between
the Pagan Roman gods and death. Ignatius refused and the
emperor condemned him to death by being torn to pieces by
wild beasts at Rome "damnatio ad bestia". Ignatius travelled
to Rome, guarded by soldiers, and showed no fear of being
devoured by lions in the Roman Colosseum. The wild beasts
left nothing of his body, except a few bones. The bones were
secretly retrieved from the Colosseum and returned Antioch,
until their removal to the Church of St. Clement at Rome, in
637.
Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
- Saint Telemachus
Telemachus was the Christian Martyr who played a major part
in the end of the gladiatorial games and the
Decline of the Roman
Colosseum. Telemachus was a Christian monk from Egypt
who was visiting Rome. He went to the Colosseum and was so
shocked at the bloody carnage that he stepped into the arena
shouting that the slaughter should be stopped. The outraged
'mob' stoned him to death. Some time following the death of
Telemachus the
Emperor Honorius issued an edict that gladiatorial
combats were to stop. |