Forty Martyrs

The Celts were Christianised under the Romans in Britain. Many of the Roman soldiers were Christians, and the merchants and traders and colonists who followed in the wake of the invasion during the first century AD were also Christian. But the Christian faith was seen to be politically subversive, so it was common for persecutions to break out and the Christians tortured and put to death for their belief. From this tradition comes the story of the Forty Martyrs.

Forty Celtic Christians had been captured by the Romans in high midwinter, and were required to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ and to declare their allegiance to Caesar, not just as emperor, but as God. The Christians refused. They were stripped naked and taken to a lake which was iced over, in freezing conditions. They were made to stand in the lake, in icy water up to their necks, until such time as they would recant and acknowledge Caesar.
On the shores of the lake, the Romans had their tents, with fires roaring and water boiling for hot baths, and food cooking on the spit. Soldiers patrolled the lake, watching and waiting for the Christians to cry out for mercy. But the forty stood silent and still.
Suddenly, one, overcome with cold and fearing death, cried out: 'I renounce the Christ and acknowledge Caesar! Take me out of this!'
He was hauled to shore and taken away to be bathed in hot water and fed. Of him, no more is known. But to one side stood a Roman soldier who watched the event, and who pondered the remaining thirty-nine who stood, proud and defiant, proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Finally the soldier could stand it no more. He tore his armour and clothing from him, and leapt into the lake, shouting, 'There should have been forty to die for the Lord Jesus Christ! And forty there shall be!'
And he took the place of the deserter, and remained with the others until death claimed them all.

The story of the forty martyrs has been honoured by the Catholic church for many centuries, and other denominations see in it a stirring account of belief and bravery. Whether it is factual or not, it contains the truth that it is worth giving one's life for the things one holds dear. Above all, there is the wonderful fact that, but for the Roman soldier's admiration of the thirty-nine, there would not have been forty martyrs on that fateful winter's day.