Martyrs & Witnesses

Named, documented Christian martyrs from the apostolic age through the modern missions era. Each entry pairs the historical record — life, circumstances of death, legacy — with the theological weight of a witness who held to Christ unto death. Read what the witness argues.

153
WITNESSES
8
ERAS
7
REGIONS
1,900+
YEARS
153 entries
ERA:
REGION:
TRADITION:
Andrew Kim TaegonCounter-Reformation Missions

Andrew Kim Taegon

September 16, 1846· Korea
Kim Tae-gon · St. Andrew Kim
Augustine Yi Kwang-honCounter-Reformation Missions

Augustine Yi Kwang-hon

May 24, 1839· Korea
Yi Kwang-hon
Barbara of NicomediaEarly Church

Barbara of Nicomedia

c. AD 306· Nicomedia
Boris and GlebMedieval

Boris and Gleb

AD 1015· Kievan Rus'
The Holy Passion-Bearers
Cecilia of RomeEarly Church

Cecilia of Rome

c. AD 230· Rome
Charles LwangaModern Missions

Charles Lwanga

June 3, 1886· Uganda
Karoli Lwanga
Cosmas and DamianEarly Church

Cosmas and Damian

c. AD 287· Cilicia / Syria
The Anargyroi (Silverless)
Demetrius of ThessalonikiEarly Church

Demetrius of Thessaloniki

c. AD 306· Thessalonica
Diego KisaiCounter-Reformation Missions

Diego Kisai

February 5, 1597· Japan
James Kisai · Jacobo Kisai
Dorothea of CaesareaEarly Church

Dorothea of Caesarea

c. AD 311· Caesarea, Cappadocia
Euphemia of ChalcedonEarly Church

Euphemia of Chalcedon

c. AD 303· Chalcedon
EustaceEarly Church

Eustace

c. AD 118· Rome
Eustathius / Placidas
Felipe de JesúsCounter-Reformation Missions

Felipe de Jesús

February 5, 1597· Japan
Philip of Jesus · San Felipe
Florian of LorchEarly Church

Florian of Lorch

AD 304· Noricum (Roman Austria)
Saint Florian
Francisco BlancoCounter-Reformation Missions

Francisco Blanco

February 5, 1597· Japan
Francis Blanco
Gonzalo GarcíaCounter-Reformation Missions

Gonzalo García

February 5, 1597· Japan
Gonsalo Garcia
Hippolytus of RomeEarly Church

Hippolytus of Rome

c. AD 235· Rome / Sardinia
John FrithReformation

John Frith

AD 1533· London, England
Joseph MukasaModern Missions

Joseph Mukasa

November 15, 1885· Uganda
Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe
KizitoModern Missions

Kizito

June 3, 1886· Uganda
Margaret of AntiochEarly Church

Margaret of Antioch

c. AD 304· Pisidian Antioch
Saint Marina
Martin Luther King Jr.Modern Persecution

Martin Luther King Jr.

April 4, 1968· United States
MLK · Michael King Jr.
Matthias MulumbaModern Missions

Matthias Mulumba

May 30, 1886· Uganda
Matia Kalemba
Menas of EgyptEarly Church

Menas of Egypt

c. AD 309· Egypt
Pope Sixtus IIEarly Church

Pope Sixtus II

AD 258· Rome
Procopius of ScythopolisEarly Church

Procopius of Scythopolis

AD 303· Roman Palestine
Procopius of Caesarea, protomartyr of Palestine
Sergius and BacchusEarly Church

Sergius and Bacchus

c. AD 303· Roman Syria
Theodore of AmaseaEarly Church

Theodore of Amasea

c. AD 306· Pontus, Asia Minor
Theodore Tiron ('the Recruit')
VitusEarly Church

Vitus

c. AD 303· Lucania / Sicily
Wenceslaus of BohemiaMedieval

Wenceslaus of Bohemia

AD 935· Bohemia
Svatý Václav ('Good King Wenceslas')
StephenApostolic

Stephen

c. AD 34· Jerusalem, Roman Judea
Stephen the Protomartyr
James, son of ZebedeeApostolic

James, son of Zebedee

c. AD 44· Jerusalem, Roman Judea
James the Greater
Ignatius of AntiochApostolic

Ignatius of Antioch

c. AD 108–117· Antioch, Roman Syria
Ignatius Theophorus
Polycarp of SmyrnaEarly Church

Polycarp of Smyrna

c. AD 155· Smyrna (modern İzmir, Turkey)
Saint Polycarp
Perpetua and FelicityEarly Church

Perpetua and Felicity

AD 203· Carthage, Roman North Africa (modern Tunisia)
Vibia Perpetua and Felicitas
Lawrence of RomeEarly Church

Lawrence of Rome

August 10, AD 258· Rome
Laurentius; Saint Lawrence the Deacon
BonifaceMedieval

Boniface

June 5, AD 754· Frisia (modern Netherlands)
Wynfrith of Crediton; Apostle of the Germans
Jan HusPre-Reformation

Jan Hus

July 6, 1415· Bohemia (modern Czech Republic) → Constance
John Huss
William TyndaleReformation

William Tyndale

October 6, 1536· England → Antwerp (Brabant, Spanish Netherlands)
William Hychyns
John WilliamsModern Missions

John Williams

November 20, 1839· Erromango, New Hebrides (modern Vanuatu, South Pacific)
Apostle of Polynesia
Peter the ApostleApostolic

Peter the Apostle

c. AD 64–67· Rome
Simon Peter; Cephas; Saint Peter
Paul the ApostleApostolic

Paul the Apostle

c. AD 64–67· Rome
Saul of Tarsus; Saint Paul
James the JustApostolic

James the Just

c. AD 62· Jerusalem
James, brother of the Lord; James of Jerusalem; James Adelphotheos
Justin MartyrApostolic

Justin Martyr

c. AD 165· Rome
Justin of Caesarea; Justin Philosopher
Martyrs of Lyon (Blandina and companions)Early Church

Martyrs of Lyon (Blandina and companions)

AD 177· Lugdunum (modern Lyon, France)
The Lyon martyrs; the martyrs of Vienne and Lyon
Felicitas of RomeEarly Church

Felicitas of Rome

c. AD 165· Rome
Felicity of Rome (not to be confused with Felicity of Carthage)
Apollonia of AlexandriaEarly Church

Apollonia of Alexandria

AD 249· Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Saint Apollonia
Cyprian of CarthageEarly Church

Cyprian of Carthage

September 14, AD 258· Carthage, Roman North Africa (modern Tunisia)
Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus
SebastianEarly Church

Sebastian

c. AD 288· Rome
Saint Sebastian
Agnes of RomeEarly Church

Agnes of Rome

c. AD 304· Rome
Saint Agnes
Vincent of SaragossaEarly Church

Vincent of Saragossa

January 22, AD 304· Valencia, Roman Hispania (modern Spain)
Vincent the Deacon; Vincent the Martyr
Lucy of SyracuseEarly Church

Lucy of Syracuse

December 13, AD 304· Syracuse, Roman Sicily
Saint Lucy; Santa Lucia
Catherine of AlexandriaEarly Church

Catherine of Alexandria

c. AD 305· Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Saint Catherine; Aikaterine
George of LyddaEarly Church

George of Lydda

April 23, AD 303· Nicomedia (modern İzmit, Turkey); buried at Lydda (modern Lod, Israel)
Saint George; George the Great-Martyr
James IntercisusEarly Church

James Intercisus

November 27, AD 421· Bēth Lapaṭ (Gundeshapur), Sasanian Persia
James the Mutilated; Jacob Intercisus
Edmund the MartyrMedieval

Edmund the Martyr

November 20, AD 869· East Anglia, England
Edmund of East Anglia; Saint Edmund King and Martyr
Adalbert of PragueMedieval

Adalbert of Prague

April 23, AD 997· Prussian Baltic coast (modern northern Poland)
Vojtěch; Wojciech; Saint Adalbert
Stanislaus of SzczepanówMedieval

Stanislaus of Szczepanów

April 11, AD 1079· Kraków, Poland
Stanislaus of Kraków; Saint Stanislaus
Thomas BecketMedieval

Thomas Becket

December 29, AD 1170· Canterbury, England
Thomas of Canterbury; Saint Thomas Becket
Patrick HamiltonReformation

Patrick Hamilton

February 29, 1528· St Andrews, Scotland
Hamilton the Proto-Reformer
George WishartReformation

George Wishart

March 1, 1546· St Andrews, Scotland
Wishart of Pittarrow
Anne AskewReformation

Anne Askew

July 16, 1546· London, England
Anne Kyme
Hugh Latimer and Nicholas RidleyReformation

Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley

October 16, 1555· Oxford, England
Latimer and Ridley; the Oxford Martyrs (with Cranmer)
Thomas CranmerReformation

Thomas Cranmer

March 21, 1556· Oxford, England
Archbishop Cranmer
Felix ManzReformation

Felix Manz

January 5, 1527· Zurich, Switzerland
Felix Mantz
Michael SattlerReformation

Michael Sattler

May 20, 1527· Rottenburg am Neckar, Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany)
Michael of Staufen
Dirk WillemsReformation

Dirk Willems

May 16, 1569· Asperen, Spanish Netherlands (modern Netherlands)
Dirk Willemszoon
Edmund CampionReformation

Edmund Campion

December 1, 1581· Tyburn, London, England
Saint Edmund Campion
Margaret ClitherowReformation

Margaret Clitherow

March 25, 1586· York, England
the Pearl of York
26 Martyrs of JapanCounter-Reformation Missions

26 Martyrs of Japan

February 5, 1597· Nagasaki, Kyushu, Japan
the Nagasaki Martyrs; the Martyrs of Nishizaka
John de Brébeuf and the North American MartyrsCounter-Reformation Missions

John de Brébeuf and the North American Martyrs

1642–1649; Brébeuf March 16, 1649· Huronia, French Canada (modern Ontario) and the Mohawk Valley (modern New York)
the Canadian Martyrs; the Eight Jesuit Martyrs (Brébeuf, Lalemant, Jogues, Goupil, de la Lande, Daniel, Garnier, Chabanel)
Andrew Kim Taegŏn and the Korean MartyrsCounter-Reformation Missions

Andrew Kim Taegŏn and the Korean Martyrs

September 16, 1846 (Kim Taegŏn); 1839–1866 broadly· Korea
Andrew Kim Taegŏn (Kim Dae-geon); the 103 Martyr Saints of Korea
Henry MartynModern Missions

Henry Martyn

October 16, 1812· Tokat, eastern Anatolia (modern Turkey)
Henry Martyn of Cornwall
Allen GardinerModern Missions

Allen Gardiner

September 6, 1851· Picton Island, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Captain Allen Francis Gardiner, Royal Navy
John Coleridge PattesonModern Missions

John Coleridge Patteson

September 20, 1871· Nukapu, Reef Islands, Solomon Islands
Bishop Patteson of Melanesia
James HanningtonModern Missions

James Hannington

October 29, 1885· Busoga (eastern Buganda, modern Uganda)
Bishop Hannington of Eastern Equatorial Africa
Uganda MartyrsModern Missions

Uganda Martyrs

May 1885 – January 1887; main burnings June 3, 1886· Buganda Kingdom (modern Uganda)
the Martyrs of Namugongo; Charles Lwanga and Companions
Maximilian KolbeModern Persecution

Maximilian Kolbe

August 14, 1941· Auschwitz concentration camp, occupied Poland
Father Maksymilian Maria Kolbe; the Saint of Auschwitz
Edith SteinModern Persecution

Edith Stein

August 9, 1942· Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, occupied Poland
Teresa Benedicta of the Cross; Saint Teresa Benedicta
Dietrich BonhoefferModern Persecution

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

April 9, 1945· Flossenbürg concentration camp, Bavaria
Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Janani LuwumModern Persecution

Janani Luwum

February 17, 1977· Kampala, Uganda
Archbishop Luwum
Oscar RomeroModern Persecution

Oscar Romero

March 24, 1980· San Salvador, El Salvador
Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero
Auca FiveModern Missions

Auca Five

January 8, 1956· Curaray River, Ecuadorian Amazon
Operation Auca; Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming
Tibhirine MonksModern Persecution

Tibhirine Monks

May 21, 1996· Tibhirine, Atlas Mountains, Algeria
the Atlas Martyrs; Christian de Chergé and the seven Trappists of Tibhirine
21 Coptic Martyrs of LibyaModern Persecution

21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya

February 15, 2015· Sirte beach, Libyan coast
the Martyrs of Sirte; the Coptic 21
Antipas of PergamumApostolic

Antipas of Pergamum

c. AD 92· Pergamum, Roman Asia (modern Bergama, Turkey)
Antipas the Martyr
Symeon Bar SabbaeEarly Church

Symeon Bar Sabbae

AD 341 or 344· Bēth Lapaṭ (Gundeshapur), Sasanian Persia
Shimun bar Ṣabbae; Mar Shemmon bar Ṣabbā'ē
John RogersReformation

John Rogers

February 4, 1555· Smithfield, London, England
Thomas Matthew (pseudonym)
Eulogius of CórdobaMedieval

Eulogius of Córdoba

March 11, AD 859· Córdoba, Emirate of Al-Andalus (modern Spain)
San Eulogio de Córdoba
Margaret WilsonReformation

Margaret Wilson

May 11, 1685· Bladnoch estuary, Wigtown, Scotland
The Wigtown Martyr
Andrew Dũng-LạcCounter-Reformation Missions

Andrew Dũng-Lạc

December 21, 1839· Ô Cầu Giấy execution ground, Hanoi, Tonkin (modern Vietnam)
Trần An Dũng; Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc and Companions
Andrew the ApostleApostolic

Andrew the Apostle

c. AD 60· Patras, Achaea (modern Greece)
Andrew the First-Called; Apostolos Protokletos
Bartholomew the ApostleApostolic

Bartholomew the Apostle

c. AD 68· Albanopolis, Greater Armenia (traditional)
Nathanael of Cana
Matthew the ApostleApostolic

Matthew the Apostle

c. AD 60-70· Ethiopia (traditional) or Persia
Levi, son of Alphaeus; Matthew the Evangelist
Thomas the ApostleApostolic

Thomas the Apostle

c. AD 72· Mylapore, near modern Chennai, India
Didymus; Thomas of India
Philip the ApostleApostolic

Philip the Apostle

c. AD 80· Hierapolis, Phrygia (modern Pamukkale, Turkey)
Philip of Bethsaida
Simon the ZealotApostolic

Simon the Zealot

c. AD 65-75· Persia or Caucasus (traditional)
Simon the Cananaean; Simon of Cana
Jude ThaddaeusApostolic

Jude Thaddaeus

c. AD 65-75· Persia or Edessa (traditional)
Judas son of James; Lebbaeus; Thaddaeus; Addai (Syriac)
Mark the EvangelistApostolic

Mark the Evangelist

c. AD 68· Alexandria, Roman Egypt
John Mark; Marcus
Timothy of EphesusApostolic

Timothy of Ephesus

c. AD 97· Ephesus, Roman Asia (modern Selçuk, Turkey)
Timothy, companion of Paul
Onesimus of ByzantiumApostolic

Onesimus of Byzantium

c. AD 95-110· Rome (traditional)
Onesimus, slave of Philemon (traditional)
Symphorian of AutunEarly Church

Symphorian of Autun

c. AD 178· Augustodunum (modern Autun, Burgundy, France)
Symphorianus Augustodunensis
Pionius of SmyrnaEarly Church

Pionius of Smyrna

AD 250· Smyrna (modern İzmir, Turkey)
Pionius the Presbyter
Maximilian of TebessaEarly Church

Maximilian of Tebessa

12 March AD 295· Theveste, Roman Numidia (modern Tebessa, Algeria)
Maximilianus of Numidia; Maximilian the Conscientious Objector
Alban of BritainEarly Church

Alban of Britain

c. AD 304 (some sources c. AD 209)· Verulamium (modern St Albans, Hertfordshire, England)
Albanus; the Protomartyr of Britain
Marcellus the CenturionEarly Church

Marcellus the Centurion

30 October AD 298· Tingis, Roman Mauretania (modern Tangier, Morocco)
Marcellus of Tingis
Eulalia of MeridaEarly Church

Eulalia of Merida

c. AD 304· Emerita Augusta (modern Mérida, Extremadura, Spain)
Eulalia Emeritensis
Crispina of ThagasteEarly Church

Crispina of Thagaste

5 December AD 304· Theveste, Roman Numidia (modern Tebessa, Algeria)
Crispina Africana
Forty Martyrs of SebasteEarly Church

Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

9 March AD 320· Sebasteia, Roman Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey)
Holy Forty of Sebasteia
Phileas of ThmuisEarly Church

Phileas of Thmuis

c. AD 306-307· Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Phileas, Bishop of Thmuis
Peter of AlexandriaEarly Church

Peter of Alexandria

25 November AD 311· Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Peter the Martyr; Peter I of Alexandria; Sphragis Marturōn
Ansgar of HamburgMedieval

Ansgar of Hamburg

3 February AD 865· Bremen, Carolingian Saxony (modern Germany)
Anskar; Apostle of the North
Olaf HaraldssonMedieval

Olaf Haraldsson

29 July AD 1030· Stiklestad, Norway
Saint Olaf; Olaf II of Norway; Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae
Thomas MoreReformation

Thomas More

6 July AD 1535· Tower Hill, London, England
Sir Thomas More; the King's Good Servant
John FisherReformation

John Fisher

22 June AD 1535· Tower Hill, London, England
John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester; Cardinal Fisher
Carthusian Martyrs of LondonReformation

Carthusian Martyrs of London

4 May 1535 – 20 September 1537· Tyburn and the London Charterhouse, England
John Houghton and the London Charterhouse martyrs
Edmund ArrowsmithReformation

Edmund Arrowsmith

28 August AD 1628· Lancaster, England
Edmund Arrowsmith SJ
Robert SouthwellReformation

Robert Southwell

21 February AD 1595· Tyburn, London, England
Robert Southwell SJ, the Poet Martyr
Nicholas OwenReformation

Nicholas Owen

2 March AD 1606· Tower of London, England
Brother Nicholas Owen SJ; Little John
Peter of VeronaMedieval

Peter of Verona

6 April AD 1252· Barlassina, Lombardy (modern Italy)
Peter Martyr; Peter the Inquisitor
Ramon LlullMedieval

Ramon Llull

c. AD 1316· Bougie (modern Béjaïa, Algeria)
Raymond Lull; Doctor Illuminatus; the Catalan Apostle
Lawrence SaundersReformation

Lawrence Saunders

8 February AD 1555· Coventry, England
Laurence Saunders
John BradfordReformation

John Bradford

1 July AD 1555· Smithfield, London, England
John Bradford the Martyr
Rowland TaylorReformation

Rowland Taylor

9 February AD 1555· Aldham Common, Hadleigh, Suffolk, England
Rowland Taylor of Hadleigh
John HooperReformation

John Hooper

9 February AD 1555· Gloucester, England
John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester
Joan WasteReformation

Joan Waste

1 August AD 1556· Derby, England
Joan Waste of Derby, the blind martyr
Robert GloverReformation

Robert Glover

20 September AD 1555· Coventry, England
Robert Glover of Mancetter
Margaret WardReformation

Margaret Ward

30 August AD 1588· Tyburn, London, England
Margaret Ward, the Pearl of Tyburn
Anne LineReformation

Anne Line

27 February AD 1601· Tyburn, London, England
Anne Line, née Heigham
Edmund GeningsReformation

Edmund Genings

10 December AD 1591· Gray's Inn Fields, London, England
Edmund Jennings; Edmund Geninges
Roque González de Santa CruzCounter-Reformation Missions

Roque González de Santa Cruz

15 November AD 1628· Caaró, modern-day Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (then Paraguay reductions)
San Roque González, Apostle of the Guaraní
Alonso Rodríguez OlmedoCounter-Reformation Missions

Alonso Rodríguez Olmedo

15 November AD 1628· Caaró, modern-day Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (then Paraguay reductions)
San Alonso Rodríguez, companion of Roque González
Juan del CastilloCounter-Reformation Missions

Juan del Castillo

17 November AD 1628· Yjuhí, modern-day Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (then Paraguay reductions)
San Juan del Castillo, martyr of Yjuhí
Diego Luis de San VitoresCounter-Reformation Missions

Diego Luis de San Vitores

2 April AD 1672· Tumon, Guam, modern Mariana Islands
Apostle of the Marianas
Lorenzo Ruiz of ManilaCounter-Reformation Missions

Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila

27 September AD 1637· Nagasaki, Japan
San Lorenzo Ruiz, first Filipino saint
John ForestCounter-Reformation Missions

John Forest

22 May AD 1538· Smithfield, London, England
Blessed John Forest OFM
Andrew of Phú YênCounter-Reformation Missions

Andrew of Phú Yên

26 July AD 1644· Kẻ Chàm, Quảng Nam province, central Vietnam
Anrê Phú Yên, Protomartyr of Vietnam
Miguel ProCounter-Reformation Missions

Miguel Pro

23 November AD 1927· Mexico City, Mexico
Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez SJ
Jacques BerthieuCounter-Reformation Missions

Jacques Berthieu

8 June AD 1896· Ambohitra (Ambiatibe), central highlands of Madagascar
Saint Jacques Berthieu SJ
John BirchModern Missions

John Birch

25 August AD 1945· Huangkou, Anhui Province, China
John Morrison Birch, the Macon Baptist in China
Vasili MartyszModern Missions

Vasili Martysz

4 May AD 1945· Teratyn, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland
Bazyli Martysz, Protopresbyter of the Polish Orthodox Church
Robert Jermain ThomasModern Missions

Robert Jermain Thomas

5 September AD 1866· Pyongyang, Korea (modern North Korea)
Robert Jermain Thomas, the Welsh Apostle to Korea
Edith CavellModern Missions

Edith Cavell

12 October AD 1915· Schaerbeek (Tir National), Brussels, Belgium
Edith Louisa Cavell, the Brussels Nurse
Toribio Romo GonzálezModern Missions

Toribio Romo González

25 February AD 1928· Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
Santo Toribio, the Holy Coyote
Wang ZhimingModern Missions

Wang Zhiming

29 December AD 1973· Wuding County, Yunnan Province, China
Wang Zhiming, the Wuding Miao Pastor
Manche MasemolaModern Persecution

Manche Masemola

4 February AD 1928· Marishane, GaMasemola, Sekhukhuneland, South Africa
Manche Masemola, the Pedi Catechumen
Lucian TapiediModern Persecution

Lucian Tapiedi

September AD 1942· Wairopi Crossing, Northern District, Papua New Guinea
Lucian Tapiedi, the Papuan Schoolteacher
Alexander SchmorellModern Persecution

Alexander Schmorell

13 July AD 1943· Stadelheim prison, Munich, Germany
Saint Alexander of Munich, the White Rose New Martyr
Veniamin of PetrogradModern Persecution

Veniamin of Petrograd

13 August AD 1922· Porokhovye station, near Petrograd (Saint Petersburg), Russia
Metropolitan Veniamin Kazansky, New Martyr of the Russian Revolution
Vasyl VelychkovskyModern Persecution

Vasyl Velychkovsky

30 June AD 1973· Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (martyred by Soviet poisoning)
Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky, the Redemptorist Bishop in Hiding
Watchman NeeModern Persecution

Watchman Nee

30 May AD 1972· Anhui Province Labor Reform Camp, China
Nee To-sheng, 倪柝聲, Confessor-Martyr of the Chinese House Church
Stanley RotherModern Persecution

Stanley Rother

28 July AD 1981· Santiago Atitlán, Sololá, Guatemala
Padre Aplas, Blessed Stanley Francis Rother
Frans van der LugtModern Persecution

Frans van der Lugt

7 April AD 2014· Bustan al-Diwan, Old City of Homs, Syria
Abouna Frans, the Dutch Jesuit of Homs