Death is a crucial facet in understanding Christianity and the modern interpretation of Jesus; in fact, Jesus could be considered the very first martyr, given that he was executed by Roman officials for practicing and preaching Christianity. As the Bible portrays death as a holy act–and, in Jesus’ case, something only necessary on the path of reaching full harmony with God–it makes sense that in the “early” days of Christianity, death was not considered lowly or gruesome. In Augustine’s passage, the two bodies of the martyrs are dug up by a party: people who want to see the bodies, believing that their sacrifice has made their physical form holy and miraculous. They are led there by a vision experienced by Bishop Ambrose, who, in leading the party, also believes that the bodies have religious value (furthermore, the fact that Ambrose has a full vision for the bodies indicates this high value).

Augustine reveals that the bodies have been kept there “uncorrupted” for many years in a secret location, waiting to be “produced” when they were deemed useful. It seems odd that religious figures would purposely hide bodies for more than a few years; this contrast shows just how important Ambrose and others found the martyrs, especially in regards to future use. Augustine describes them as being brought “with due honor” to the basilica of Ambrose–the phrase suggesting a reverence to the bodies shown by the religious party. Instead of being considered unsanitary, as modern figures likely would, the corpses are willingly brought into the basilica to be used for religious observance. Augustine mentions no signs of shock or unease, suggesting that the view of death and decaying bodies at this time was wholly different.

Along the way, Augustine claims that people with “unclean spirits,” previously in possession of devil-like entities, are healed simply by the presence of the passing bodies. Not only are they seen as important, the martyrs are actually believed to contain miraculous properties capable of curing ailments. From a historical standpoint, this suggests a limited knowledge of medical treatments, given that certain illnesses could only be cured by a spiritual source, (the dead bodies), according to the church. Moreover, these “unclean spirits” now might be described as mental illness or personality traits, rather than a faith-based issue. Even more importantly, the inclusion of people on the path–and not already with the martyr party–must mean that most people also believed in the power of the bodies, as they were eager to credit the corpses for “healing” their spirits even though they did not originally travel with the others.

On a similar note, Augustine refers to one blind man who, upon hearing about the “people’s joy” in seeing the martyrs, requests that he be brought to touch the corpses. Again, there is a collective “joy” in witnessing the martyrs, meaning that the city as a whole rejoiced at the arrival of long-dead bodies, suggesting a widespread religious practice that would be uncommon today. The blind man, after touching the martyrs, then touches his eyes and finds his blindness cured; Augustine credits the bodies, “whose death is precious in sight.” This phrase in particular makes an important distinction: it is not only the martyrs’ physical presence, it is their death that marks their holiness. Finding holiness in death represents a fundamentally different view on life and death during Augustine’s lifetime: the bodies are treated with utmost respect and described with miraculous powers that would likely not be granted to someone living, and Augustine even states that through the bodies, “thy,” meaning God, shines more brightly.

It is at this point that Augustine again mentions Justina, the emperor’s mother who persecuted Ambrose for his teachings. As with the unclean spirits, he claims that the presence of the bodies eliminates her penchant for religious persecution. Admittedly, it seems out of place that a royal figure would persecute people for what seems to be a widespread practice, based on the outpour from the city about the bodies. Near the start of the chapter, Augustine declares that these people were willing to die with Ambrose, making themselves martyrs for their faith. This view towards death as being holy and almost desirable (given the miraculous power of the corpses) reflects an extremist attitude towards faith and a view of death as more holy and powerful than life. Augustine ends the chapter by thanking God, though he also finds trouble in relating to the martyrs. He states that even around the corpses, when God was extremely “fragrant,” he did not instinctively “run,” or return, to God. He perhaps does not understand their reverence to the bodies, though he does believe God was present, as he finds it necessary to offer thanks. Finally, he ends the chapter with a powerful statement: “I could breathe as much as the space allows in this our straw house.” After such a rumination on life and death, it seems evident that this “straw house” is life as Augustine sees it, while death (and possibly martyrdom) is the expansion of this house into full communion with God.