The persecution began on 23 February 303. It was the feast of Terminus, the god of boundaries – chosen, Lactantius says, ‘so ...

Despite this, Nero's persecution of the new Christian sect was brief and ... it had become the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The Romans correctly intuited that the victory of Christianity would mean the end of the Roman Empire, the end of the classical world. ... We often think of persecution, of course, in a Christian ...

“We are proud to have this number of people from our village who have become martyrs,” he said after his brother’s murder. “Since the Roman era, Christians have been martyrs and have ...

Christianity emerged within a vast empire, and it faced both severe challenges and unexpected opportunities. Persecution by Roman authorities tested the resilience of believers, while Roman ...

In most stores in the weeks leading up to St. Valentine’s Day, you’re likely to find a plethora of pink-and-red cards, heart-shaped boxes of Russell Stover chocolates, and decor with nearly ...

In fact, the Catholic Church recognizes several saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom became Christian martyrs ... St. Valentine as the Roman Empire became less pagan.