A martyr is considered a person who was killed in testimony towards its faith to God. Throughout the history of Christianity, martyrs have admired believers, since they gave their lives because they expressed what they believed in. Even though martyr is no stranger to us. We know who they are and we manage to capture their personality and historical significance; however, their image often seems to evoke in us a world that is no longer ours. They appear as a distant character, relegated to historical times and periods that belong to the past and that only the liturgical memory proposes to us again in daily worship. Saint Augustine in Confessions describe several historical points even though it is not the purpose main purpose of the text, one of the most important ones that can be found throughout this reading is the discovery of the bodies of martyrs Gervasius and Protasius in Milan.

Gervasio and Protasio are two names that we find in the litanies of the saints and infrequent martyrdom commemorations, and that correspond to two Milanese brothers who lived in the 1st century and deserved the palm of martyrdom. We owe everything we know about them to Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, who explains to us, in their writings, how the former found, around the year 386, the relics of these two glorious martyrs of the early Milanese church. And although their history is shrouded in legend, due to the lack of testimonies from their days. Additionally, Saint Ambrose and Augustine, explain to us how God wanted the relics of those two martyrs to be found, whose memory already he had almost disappeared from among the Christians. Ambrose was having to consecrate a new temple in Milan, many asked him to do so with great solemnity. He replied that he would if he found relics of martyrs. Feeling at that very moment an inner movement, a vision where God encourages him to look into the graves of these two martyrs. Successfully, Ambrose followed this call of the lord and found the two hidden bodies of the martyrs Gervasio and Protasio. Moreover, Augustine, who at that time held the position of teacher of rhetoric at the Milan school, explains to us how this omen of the great Bishop Ambrose was confirmed. The bodies were translated to Ambrose’s basilica that now on days is known as the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, finally, Ambrose could consecrate the altars with the desired solemnity, and address his people with the first testimony that was made in the History of the two glorious martyrs. Afterward, this event took placed, several miracles especially of healing started to take place as Augustine redacted an event of a blind citizen “When he arrives, he begged admission so that he might touch with his cloth the bier on which lay your saints whose ‘death is precious in your sight’ When he did this and applied the cloth to his eye, immediately they were opened”(ix. vii 16).

Therefore, as this encounter is expressed by Augustin its notorious another historical fact related to Justina the adversary of Saint Ambrose. Justina, the mother of the Emperor Valentinian, still a child, who persecuted the holy bishop because she was an Arian and found in him the great defender of Catholic Orthodoxy. By this is meant that there was a disagreement in several thoughts about who was the Son of God, and how meaningful or powerful he was. We can focus here on the persecution that was taking place at that time in Milan lead by the power of Justina. Also, the act of Ambrose of founding the bodies of Gervasio and Protasio had a huge impact on religious beliefs and faith. As a result, there was a loss of power towards Justina. Paulinus biographer of Ambrose believes that there is a relationship between these two events and mentions that the relics came as a revelation towards the faith of the people in Milan. Not only for people in Milan this was a special moment to clarify their faith but also for Augustin, this helped him to confirm his religious beliefs.

To conclude, martyrs have been trough history a powerful image of faith and religion for people. The action from Ambrose of finding the bodies of the two martyrs leads to an important historical event making people follow Christianity throughout the end of their lives. A major event for this book is the conversion of Augustine which signifies a lot since the author was having a difficult time with religion at the time. In my opinion, I think martyrs are an example of the power of living life based on religion, and that one day God will give back all the sacrifices made. The historical mark this event has in history is a clear image of how powerful faith can be.