Within the book Confessions, Saint Augustine recounts tales of his journeys across the Roman Empire. It tells the story of how he fought for Christianity’s presence, but it also recounts miracles and knowledge gained. The book itself is testament of love to Him, but it is also a keystone to the development of the Christian faith. One theme highlighted within this text is martyrdom, which is persecution due to religious belief.

Many look up to Saint Augustine himself as a prime example of martyrdom, however he had been taking note of many other exemplary martyrs during his time. Saint Augustine had come across many martyrs during his lifetime— which is no surprise to many historians. During the middle ages martyrs could be encountered in across the Roman Empire. Their deaths were beacons of hope against the overwhelming Roman suppression.

At the time, martyrs were also thought to have spiritual effects, even after their death. It was almost as if their long dead bodies were still warm with the presence of God in them. As was said on page 164 of Confessions, “We were still cold, untouched by the warmth of your spirit”. The Spirit was able to repel evil in people as well, which can be clearly found in the ‘some people vexed by impure spirits were healed, the very demons themselves making public confession’. This was a prime example on how God brings out the good in people. On top of feeling closer to God by being in the presence of martyr’s bodies, miracles were performed. Most notably was the blind citizen who insisted on touching the body. He proceeded to grab the cloth and let it touch his, thus restoring his vision. Augustine goes on to recall that ‘death is precious in your sight’. Martyrs were performing miracles, just as Jesus of Nazareth once had.

Being in the presence of the martyrs felt like being fully surrounded by God, according to those in the Church at Milan. They were so holy, that the “‘perfume of (His) unguents’ was so strong” that Saint Augustine felt like he was “at last breathing (His) air’. The importance saints placed on martyrs was so high because saints felt like they could feel the difference after being found. Saint Augustine describes the air being so thick with the presence of God he could’ve choked on it. Being near the martyrs, Protasius and Gervasius, meant to be in the presence of God.

Becoming a martyr was nothing to fear. To fight for your religious beliefs was a highly valued ideology by the Christian community to begin with. The added spiritual value of martyrdom deemed death inconsequential. It meant a way to bring yourself closer to God, to live closer to the way Jesus once did, and help spread the miracle of God long after their death. With very few downsides, many saints fought for Christianity until executed by the Roman empire.

Not only were martyrs a symbol of hope for other Christians, but it was also a way to help nonbelievers start to open themselves up the word of God. By watching the miracles occur, onlookers were mentally forced to comprehend that God was real, however, some were too stubborn to fully accept. The mother of King Valentinian is a woman who was almost converted. After she saw the blind man regain his sight, she was ‘not converted to sound faith, was nevertheless checked in its anger’. She would be unable to deny something otherworldly occurred that day, and not wanting to mess with a higher power encouraged her to leave.

Persecution from the roman emperor backfired directly, as martyrs were essential in gathering those into the Christian faith. The miracles they caused and the faith they restored & ignited only increased God’s strength.

In today’s world the martyrs go unheard. On the news we do not hear of martyrs and their miracles, but we do hear of religious persecution. For example, there are the Uighurs, a Muslim-Turkish ethnicity group. The Republic of China has rounded more than a million into enslavement camps, and speculation of a genocide occurring under the world’s noses is not an uncommon belief. To us, the western world, their plight goes mostly unheard. But one would be naive to believe that there are no brave martyrs among that million, no one who serves as an inspiration.

Martyrs might not have the widespread effect on the world like the once had, but martyrs have, are, and will continue to be pivotal in history and religious persecution.