Martyrs

Basic Info

People who are killed for the sake of faith, or who die in prison when they have been imprisoned because of their faith, are considered martyrs. During the first 300 or so years after Jesus’ Crucifixion, Christians experienced numerous periods of persecution. Because Christians wouldn’t worship the civic gods of the Roman Empire, they were considered a threat to the stability of the society and were often arrested, imprisoned, or put to death. If alleged Christians would bow down before a Roman deity, they were often spared, but this went against the commandment to worship only one God. Those who had the courage not to compromise their faith, even in the face of harsh suffering, were considered to be people of great faith. They were honored as saints. The word martyr means “witness.”

Martyrs are often indicated by the presence of a palm branch, which symbolizes Christ’s new life in the Resurrection(though the palm is also used in other contexts as well). Martyrs are also often depicted with some indication of the form of death they suffered. Saint Lawrence for example was burned on a grill.

Martyrs have been very significant to Christian self-identity in that they are the extreme example of suffering for Christ and in solidarity with his suffering. There have been Christian martyrs in almost every country and in every era of Christianity.

What to Look For

• The martyr’s attention and attitude
• Symbols that reflect how the martyr died
• Indications of the martyr’s faith or relationship with God
• The relationship between the martyr and anyone else depicted
• The context in which the challenge to faith is depicted

Questions to Focus a General Interpretation

Does the artwork seem to emphasize the martyr’s faith, suffering, courage, or some combination of these?

Does the artwork seem to encourage the viewer to any particular attitude toward faith, suffering, or courage?

Questions to Guide a Personal Interpretation

Does the artwork invite you to witness to your faith in any way that is relevant to contemporary life?

Can you imagine being in the martyr’s shoes? Does that call you to reflect differently on your own life?

Are you willing to die for your faith the way this martyr died? What are you willing to die for?

Questions to Suggest a Historical Interpretation



What risks did Christians face in the artist’s time and place? Does the artwork seem to respond to that situation in any way? 

What might the typical sufferings of life have been in the artist’s time and place? How does the artist situate these in relation to the type of suffering the martyr experienced?