Post #5889

THE SAINT MARTYRS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, VIRGIN DOMITILLA AND PANCRAS Today Holy Church offers the Sacrifice in memory of four holy martyrs of the Roman Church: Nereus, Achilleus, [Flavia] Domitilla and Pancras. Nereus and Achilleus, brothers, eunuch servans of Flavia Domitilla, baptised who were with St. Peter with her and Plautilla, mother of her and sisters of the saint Martyr Flavius Clemens Consul, they persuaded Domitilla to consecrate her virginity to God; wherefore accused as Christians by her fiancé, Aurelianus, they gloriously confessed their faith and were relegated to the island of Ponza, where they were again subjected to torture and beaten with rods; then led to Terracina, and be tormented by Minucius Rufus Consular with rack and fire, but constantly declaring that, baptized by St. Peter the Apostle, no torment could force them to sacrifice to idols, they had their heads cut off. Their bodies brought to Rome by Auspicius, their disciple and tutor of Domitilla, were buried on the Via Ardeatina.