Seven Holy Brothers

The Seven Holy Brothers

Martyrs

The Seven Holy Brothers were sons of a pious Roman Christian widow named Felicitas, in the second century. Their names were Januarius, Felix, Philip, Sylvanus, Alexander, Vitalis and Martial. The holy example of this devout widow and her young sons was a cause of many conversions, which incurred the wrath of the pagan priests. They denounced the family to the authorities, and soon Felicitas and her sons were arrested and brought before the prefect of Rome. Felicitas fervently refused to worship idols, telling the prefect that she feared neither her own death nor that of her sons, and she humiliated the prefect by urging her sons to remain faithful, which they did. The furious prefect ordered the brothers scourged and sent back to prison. They were soon executed under separate judges. Januarius, the eldest, was scourged to death; Felix and Philip were beaten with clubs; Sylvanus was thrown from a cliff; and Alexander, Vitalis and Martial were beheaded, all on the same day. Their ever-faithful mother Felicitas, who rejoiced at her sons’ own fidelity in martyrdom, was beheaded herself months later, on November 23rd, the day she is honored in the Roman Martyrology.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for July 10th

AT Rome, the martyrdom of the seven holy brothers, sons of the saintly martyr Felicitas, namely, Januarius, Felix, Philip, Sylvanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial, in the time of the emperor Antoninus, under Publius, prefect of the city. Januarius, after being scourged with rods and detained in prison, died under the blows inflicted with leaded whips. Felix and Philip were scourged to death, Sylvanus was thrown headlong from an eminence. Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial were condemned to capital punishment.

Also, at Rome, in the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus, the holy virgins and martyrs Rufina and Secunda, sisters, who, after being subjected to torments, the one having her head split open, the other being decapitated, departed for heaven. Their bodies are kept with due honor in the Lateran Basilica, near the baptistery.

In Africa, the holy martyrs Januarius, Marinus, Nabor, and Felix, who were beheaded.

At Nicopolis, in Armenia, the holy martyrs Leontius, Mauritius, Daniel, and their companions, who after being tortured in different manners, were finally cast into the fire, and thus terminated their long martyrdom, in the time of the emperor Licinius and the governor Lysias.

In Pisidia, the holy martyrs Bianor and Silvanus, who merited an immortal crown by being decapitated, after enduring most bitter torments for the name of Christ.

At Iconium, St. Apollonius, martyr, who consummated his glorious martyrdom by death on the cross.

At Ghent, St. Amelberga, virgin.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.