The First Roman Martyrs: Falsely Accused by Nero, Witnesses of the Faith.
Newsroom (06/30/2025, Gaudium Press) – Today, the Church commemorates, among other saints, the First Roman Martyrs. These are not the first martyrs of the Church in general, but they are the first of the Roman See.
After celebrating yesterday the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, pillars of the Roman Church, the Church now honors the memory of the Holy Protomartyrs of the Roman Church—those who were falsely accused by Emperor Nero of setting fire to the capital of the empire, an act that all evidence suggests was committed by Nero himself.
These first Roman martyrs were imprisoned and then executed after brutal tortures. Some were covered in the skins of wild beasts to be torn apart by dogs—a refinement of cruelty. Others were crucified or burned alive to illuminate the night with the flames of their bodies, following in the footsteps of Christ’s own Passion. There were also other forms of martyrdom. These heroes were precious fruits of the apostolic mission and the first Roman offerings that the Church presented to God.
Their names and number remain unknown.
It All Began in the Circus
The events took place in July of the year 64. At that time, Nero had ruled for ten years, and his name was already despised by his subjects, who groaned under the weight of his many vices.
One day, a fire broke out near the Great Circus, in warehouses full of flammable materials, and quickly spread throughout the capital of the empire. This was the Great Fire of Rome, which lasted six days and seven nights, only to rekindle and burn for three more days. It consumed two-thirds of the city.
Nero wasn’t in Rome when the fire began. He returned on the third day and watched the devastation from the Tower of Maecenas, reportedly taking pleasure in the spectacle. This strange behavior led many to suspect that he himself had ordered the fire.
Rumors spread rapidly: people claimed to have seen mysterious men hurling torches into homes—acting under Nero’s orders. To deflect suspicion, Nero blamed the Christians. Some historians suggest that certain individuals whispered this monstrous calumny in his ear—an accusation that triggered one of the earliest and bloodiest systematic persecutions against Christians in Roman history.
These protomartyrs were not only the first persecuted believers in Rome but also the first to suffer systematic repression from a Roman emperor. After them, the cruelty of the Caesars would fall upon millions of Christians—until the day Christianity would ultimately conquer the empire itself.
With files from El Testigo Fiel
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
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