Of persecutions in the Roman empire.--Martyrdom of S. Polycarp.--Acts of SS. Carpus, Papylus, and Agathonica.--Acts of SS. Justin and his companions.--Letter of

An expert on early Christianity reveals how the early church invented stories of Christian martyrs—and how this persecution myth persists today. According to

From Eusebius of Caesarea, who first compiled a collection of martyr narratives around 300, to Thierry Ruinart, whose Acta primorum martyrum sincera et selecta

"Jesus never existed." "The Bible is a book of fairy tales." "Accounts of Christian persecution are fables." Christians of today face ridiculous claims of this

Personal narratives are powerful instruments for teaching, both for conveying information and for forming character. The martyrdom accounts preserved in the lit