What picture do you have for the month of April on your calendar? My calendar has a picture of the Roman Colosseum. Many people are aware that it is the location where the Gladiator fights took place but how many are aware that a good number of our early Brothers and Sisters in Christ were martyred there. I have been thinking of that since I turned the page of my calendar. We were told by Jesus to expect persecution if we are to follow Him; to pick up our cross daily.
"Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 5:10-12
"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,"
"It didn't end in Rome"
Voice of the Martyrs has a ministry started by Richard Wurmbrand to reach out to our Brothers and Sisters in nations were Christianity is forbidden. It is still ongoing and will continue to go on until our Lord and Savior returns to take us to a place He is preparing for us. The following link is a map of all the restricted nations from their website. You can click on the dot for each nation and it will give you a write up on them.
I wear a bracelet from VOM that is two joined bracelets. One says "BOUND WITH THEM" and the other says "HEBREWS 13:3." I have had many people ask me if the bracelets are joined and I remove it to show it to them and take the opportunity to explain why they are.
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body."
Hebrews 13:3
The following is a write up I found about the Colosseum and the Christian Martyrs:
Colosseum & Christian Martyrs |
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History, Facts and Information about Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
The content of this article provides interesting history, facts and information about the Colosseum & Christian Martyrs. Many early Christians were persecuted due to the edicts of various Roman Emperors. Many of the early Christians were tortured and sentenced to terrible deaths, some of which took place in the Colosseum. The Colosseum eventually became synonymous with the Christian Martyrs who died in its bloody arena. 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 Trajan came 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. Colosseum & Christian Martyrs
The content of this Colosseum & Christian Martyrs category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework. Refer to the Colosseum Sitemap for a comprehensive search on interesting different categories containing the history, facts and information about Ancient Rome. Just like the subject of Colosseum & Christian Martyrs there is hardly a page of Roman history and the Romans that is not, on some way, connected to the Roman Colosseum which became a symbol of Rome, its society, culture and life. http://www.roman-colosseum.info/colosseum/colosseum-christian-martyrs.htm |
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