Saints John and Paul: Remembering the Martyrs
For if to others, indeed, they seem punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. —Wisdom 3:4-5 The Roman martyrs simply known as John and Paul are among those early Christian saints whose stories have been somewhat obscured by time and myth, but they are among the most beloved saints of the early Church. Their names are included in the Roman Canon (the “First Eucharistic Prayer”) of the Mass and the Litany of the Saints , as well as in the liturgies of many of the Eastern churches. Their memory is celebrated on June 26. According to the accounts of their lives that have been handed down to us, John and Paul were Christian brothers and both served as soldiers in the Roman Army under the emperor Constantine . The brothers were assigned to serve in the household of Constantine’s daughter, Constantia . She held them in high esteem and even named one of the...