Martyrs and Early Church Fathers (30 CE – 300 CE)
Meet the first generation of saints - the Apostles and their companions, the martyrs who sealed their witness with blood, and the Fathers who defended the faith against persecution and heresy. These are the foundations upon which the Church was built.
Witnesses of theApostolic Age
The first three centuries of Christianity produced saints whose witness has shaped the Church for all time. These were men and women who knew Christ or his Apostles, who faced the lions in Roman arenas, and who articulated the faith we profess today. Their blood became the seed of the Church.
Here you will encounter St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, whose letters form so much of the New Testament and whose missionary journeys brought the Gospel to the heart of the Roman world. You will meet the four Evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - who gave us the written Gospels. You will learn of the early martyrs: St Ignatius of Antioch, St Polycarp, Sts Perpetua and Felicity, and countless others.
This era also produced the early Church Fathers - St Clement of Rome, St Justin Martyr, St Irenaeus of Lyon - whose writings defended the faith and passed on the apostolic tradition. Their witness continues to guide the Church today.
At a Glance
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The apostolic age gave the Church her foundational saints - those who walked with Christ, those who spread the Gospel throughout the Roman world, and those who sealed their faith with martyrdom.
Select a topic below to learn about specific saints of this foundational era, or browse the articles to explore individual lives.
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
Tertullian
Apologeticus, c. 197
The Foundations of Faith
The saints of the early Church faced persecution, suffering, and death with unwavering faith. Their example challenges us to consider what we would sacrifice for Christ.