St Montanus and Companions

Montanus, Lucius, Victoricus, Flavian and companions were ten disciples of St Cyprian of Carthage (in what is now Tunisia). They were martyred there, under the reign of the Emperor Valerian in 259. The story of their imprisonment and martyrdom is well documented.

The group were arrested by an official called Solon, after St Cyprian was executed in 258. They spent many months kept in dark dungeons with little food or water. Somehow in such inhuman conditions, the little Christian community bonded and helped one another.

When they were finally called to the place of execution, each was permitted to speak. Montanus, who was tall and strong, spoke bravely to the Christian crowd. He told them to be true to Jesus and to die rather than give up the faith. Lucius, who was small and frail, walked quietly to the place of execution. He was weak from the harsh months in prison and had to lean on two friends. The people who watched called to him to remember them from Paradise. As each of the Christians were beheaded one after another, the crowd wept and prayed.