The Martyrs of the Coliseum by Father A. J. O'Reilly, D.D.

The Martyrs of the Coliseum is a history of that famous arena in Rome, where thousands of early Christians met a cruel and bloody end, but much more than that, it is also the story of many well-known saints and heroes of Christ who went willingly to their deaths in testimony of the truth of the Catholic faith. In fact, it reads like a veritable lives of the early saints and martyrs. For here are recounted the passion of such notable martyrs as St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Prisca, Sts. Chrysanthus and Daria, Pope St. Stephen, St. Vitus and companions, Sts. Abdon and Sennen (the Persion kings), St. Eleutherius (the young bishop), St. Alexander, St. Hippolytus, St. Marinus, St. Martina, and many others.

Once a person reads the unbelievable testimony of Faith that was displayed in this arena and during the early Christian era in Rome, he or she will be readily able to understand how God might thus chose to signalize so epochal an event.

TAN Books, 441 pages.