JULY 28TH, SS. NAZARIUS & CELSUS, MARTYRS; VICTOR I, POPE & MARTYR; INNOCENT I, POPE & CONFESSOR

Month in honor of the Most Precious Blood of OLJC.

The Roman Martyrology has this interesting entry about a group of martyrs also honored today —

On the same day are commemorated many holy martyrs in the Thebaid, in Egypt, who suffered in the persecution under Decius and Valerian, when the Christians eagerly accepted death by the sword for Christ's name's sake, and the subtle enemy, seeking to slay souls rather than bodies, invented slower paths to death. One of them, after he had conquered the rack, and plates, and vessels of heated metal, had his hands tied behind his back and was smeared with honey, after which he was set in the burning sun, exposed to the stings of bees and flies. Another was tied down softly among flowers, and a shameless harlot was sent to excite him to lust, but he bit off the end of his tongue and spat it into her face as she was cajoling him.