Churches of Rome | Saint Martina, Roman Forum

Welcome back to Crux Stationalis. Today we head to the Church of Saints Luke and Martina in the Roman Forum. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and turn on those notifications, especially so you don't miss our live tours through the city of Rome. As we look at a photo series from the Church of Saints Luke and Martina, I read to you the Passion of Saint Martina. Saint Martina was a maiden of a most illustrious Roman family, daughter of a consul. She lost her parents while still very young, and being inflamed with Christian zeal, she distributed her abundant wealth with great profusion among the poor. Under the Emperor Alexander, she was commanded to sacrifice to the imaginary gods and refused with boldness to commit this great wickedness. Upon this, she was again and again scourged and mangled with iron prongs and hooks and pieces of broken pottery. Her limbs were cut off piece by piece with sharp swords and boiling tallow poured upon her living body. Lastly, she was sent to be eaten publicly by the wild beasts in the amphitheater but by the will of God, these beasts would not touch her, and she was then thrown upon a burning pile but still remained alive. Some of her tormentors were so moved by the spectacle that they repented, and by the grace of God confessing the faith of Christ, through which she remained constant, were themselves tortured and beheaded. Saint Martina herself lay praying with a brightness on her face while a matter-like milk oozed from her body along with the blood, emitting a soft sweet perfume. She was, as it were, unconscious of an earthquake and most violent thunderstorm which arose and was raging, and while the lightning struck temples and melted statues, she seemed in spirit rather to be seated above on a queenly throne, praising God in heaven among the blessed. The judge, being infuriated at what had taken place, and chiefly at her unbending firmness, ordered the head of the martyr to be cut off. At the moment this was done, a peal which shook the city was heard, like a voice calling her home, and so great was the consternation that it was made the means of conversion to many idolaters. The holy body of Martina, wherein she had suffered in the pontificate of Urban I, was discovered in the time of Urban VIII, in the very old church called after her, situated at the foot of the Capitoline Hill near the Mamertine prison, along with the bodies of the holy martyrs Concordius, Epiphanius, and others. The church was then altered and restored and handsomely decorated, and then the body was replaced in it, amid public rejoicings with a solemn ceremony and procession. We don't hear of Saint Martina often, and so I'm happy to show you this image by El Greco of the virgin mother with the child Jesus, and the two saint virgin martyrs Saint Agnes and Saint Martina of Rome. We have just celebrated the feast and the octave of Saint Agnes, and now we celebrate today the feast of Saint Martina. Here at Cruc Stationalis, I enjoy and hope to show you Rome, not just for the beauty of its buildings, its stones, its facades, but to show you the beauty of the saints. The church of Rome is literally built upon the blood of the martyrs, and their martyrdom is the life sap of the church. And now in our time, it is important to focus upon the Christian witness of martyrdom. In the liturgical year, we cry out, O felix Roma, O happy Rome, which is empurpled by the blood of the martyrs, and so too in our day are lands soiled with the blood of the martyrs. And so I pray that the witness of the martyrs emboldens you to grow ever closer to Jesus, and in your life to be with Saint Martina above, seated on a throne, praising God with the blessed. Thank you for joining us today at Cruc Stationalis. Don't forget to share this video with your family and friends, and like it and turn on the notification bell so that you don't miss our live tours of Rome.