*St. Justin Martyr died in the 2nd century as a martyr under Marcus Aurelius. A description of his martyrdom written at the time:
The saints were seized and brought before the prefect
of Rome, whose name was Rusticus. As they stood before the judgment seat,
Rusticus the prefect said to Justin, "Above all, have faith in the gods
and obey the emperors."
Justin replied, "We cannot be accused or condemned for obeying the
commands of our Savior, Jesus Christ."
Rusticus said, "What system of teaching do you profess?"
Justin said, "I have tried to learn about every system, but I have
accepted the true doctrines of the Christians, though these are not approved by
those who are held fast by error."
The prefect Rusticus said, "Are those doctrines approved by you, wretch
that you are?"
Justin said, "Yes, for I follow them with their correct teaching."
The prefect Rusticus said, "What sort of teaching is that?"
Justin said, "Worship the God of the Christians. We hold him to be from
the beginning the one creator and maker of the whole creation, of things seen
and things unseen. We worship also the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
Rusticus said, "You are a Christian, then?"
Justin said, "Yes, I am a Christian."
The prefect said to Justin, "You are called a learned man and think you
know what is true teaching. Listen: if you were scourged and beheaded, are you
convinced that you would go up to heaven?"
Justin said, "I hope that I shall enter God's house if I suffer in that
way. For I know that God's favor is stored up until the end of the whole world
for all who have lived good lives."
The prefect Rusticus said, "Do you have an idea that you will go up to
heaven to receive some suitable rewards?"
Justin said, "It is not an idea that I have; it is something I know well
and hold to be most certain."
The prefect Rusticus said, "Now let us come to the point at issue, which
is necessary and urgent. Gather round then and with one accord offer sacrifice
to the gods."
Justin said, "No one who is right-thinking stoops from true worship to
false worship."
The prefect Rusticus said, "If you do not do as you are commanded you will
be tortured without mercy."
Justin said, "We hope to suffer torment for the sake of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and so be saved."
In the same way the other martyrs also said, "Do what you will. We are
Christians; we do not offer sacrifice to idols."
The prefect Rusticus pronounced sentence, saying, "Let those who have
refused to sacrifice to the gods and to obey the command of the emperor be
scourged and led away to suffer capital punishment according to the ruling of
the laws." Glorifying God, the holy martyrs were beheaded, and so
fulfilled their witness of martyrdom in confessing their faith in their Savior.
--from the Acts of the Martyrdom of
Saint Justin and his Companions
