Protomartyrs

At first, they were not really noticed, but soon there were more and more of them. At first, they all looked like the other immigrants from the Middle East, but soon normal-looking people were found to have converted to this religion and were setting themselves apart from the mainstream of society. They became the subject of rumors, ridicule, and investigations. Then, disaster struck, killing thousands. The focus quickly fell upon the Christians: they and their leaders were rounded up, tortured, and killed. These first martyrs of the Church of Rome remained true to their faith, rejoicing to share in the salvific sufferings of Christ, and helped stoke the fires of a spiritual awakening that would flourish when the empire that had sought to crush them was itself dust.

How strongly do we stand up for our faith?