Today, the Church remembers the Martyrs of Lyons.
Orate pro nobis.
At Lyons and Vienne, in Gaul (France), there were missionary centers which had drawn many Christians from Asia and Greece. Persecution by the Roman Empire began under emperor Marcus Aurelius in 177 A.D.
At first, Christians were excluded from the public baths, the market place, and from social and public life. They were subject to attack when they appeared in public, and many Christian homes were vandalized.
They were attacked by pagan mobs and then tried as criminals for being Christians. Writers from Lyons and Vienne provided very graphic descriptions of the terible torments endured by these martyrs.
As the Imperial government became involved, local authorities began to take Christians into custody for questioning. Some slaves from Christian households were tortured to obtain confessions, and were induced to say that Christians practiced cannibalism and incest.
These charges were used to arouse the whole city against the Christians, particularly against Pothinus, the aged bishop of Lyons; Sanctus, a deacon; Attalus; Maturus, a recent convert; and Blandina, a slave.
Pothinus was beaten and then released, to die of his wounds a few days later. Sanctus was tormented with being strapped to a red hot iron chair.
Blandina was bound to a stake, mirroring the image of a cross, and wild beasts were set on her. While being restrained on the stake, Blandina began to pray passionately to both her companions and her captors. According to legend, the beasts never touched her and she was removed from the stake and thrown back in jail. After enduring this for a number of days, in an effort to persuade her to recant, she was led into the arena to see the sufferings of her companions. Finally, as the last of the martyrs, she was scourged, placed on a red-hot iron grate, enclosed in a net and thrown before a wild bull, which tossed her into the air with his horns. In the end, she was killed with a dagger. tortured all day long, would say nothing except, "I am a Christian, and nothing vile is done among us."
Finally, the remaining survivors were put to death in the public arena.
Grant, O Lord, that we who keep the feast of the holy martyrs Blandina and her companions may be rooted and grounded in love of you, and may endure the sufferings of this life for the glory that shall be revealed in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
