Saint Justin Martyr
A philosopher in search of truth who became a defender of the Christian faith
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Martyr, Layperson
- Life
- ~100 – ~165
- Era
- 2nd century
- Feast
- 1 June
- Countries
- Palestinian Territories, Italy
Life story
Justin was born around the beginning of the second century at Flavia Neapolis, today Nablus in Palestine, into a pagan family. In his Dialogue he says he studied under teachers of several philosophical schools in turn, until an old man he met by the sea led him to the prophetic books and to Christianity. After his conversion he kept wearing the philosopher's cloak, regarding the new faith as the true philosophy.
He came to Rome and opened a school there. His surviving works that are certainly his are two Apologies addressed to the emperor Antoninus Pius and the Senate, and the Dialogue with Trypho, a debate with a Jewish man. In the First Apology he explains to pagans how Christians live, how they baptise and how they gather on Sunday, giving one of the oldest surviving descriptions of the Eucharist. He also asks the authorities to judge Christians by what they do and not merely by their name.
Around 165, under Marcus Aurelius, he was denounced and brought with several companions before the prefect of Rome, Junius Rusticus. They refused to sacrifice to the gods and were beheaded. The Acts of Justin report the hearing. The Church keeps his feast on 1 June and calls him Justin Martyr. His writings are valued by historians because they show how a Christian teacher of the mid-second century explained his faith to educated pagans and to Jewish readers alike.
Works and witness
- Born at Flavia Neapolis (Nablus) and studied several philosophies before converting
- Opened a school of teaching in Rome
- Wrote two Apologies and the Dialogue with Trypho
- Left one of the oldest descriptions of the Sunday Eucharist
- Beheaded in Rome around 165 together with companions
Saints from the same country
References
- Justin Martyr, First Apology, Second Apology and Dialogue with Trypho
- Acts of Justin and his Companions
- Eusebius of Caesarea, Historia Ecclesiastica
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.