First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

The Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome commemorates the sacrifices made by early Christians after they were blamed for the burning of Rome, during the reign of Nero. Nero blamed the Christians for the fire, so he had them burned alive as candles or killed in the Colosseum as entertainment. The faith of these martyrs inspired many converts in Rome and helped the growth of the young Church.