St. Justin Martyr (c. 100 – 165) was born in the Palestinian province of Samaria in the town of Flavia Neapolis to Greek parents. Justin’s education was a classical mix of history, poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy. The future saint was fascinated by philosophy and studied in the various schools from stoicism to Socratic and Pythagoras to Platonic. Although he favored the Platonic school, he felt that the philosophical schools were missing something.

Justin continued to seek a higher truth. He was struck by the Christians he saw being persecuted for their beliefs. He observed these early martyrs go to their deaths fearlessly and wondered at the truth and peace they carried. He met an old man who spoke to him of the prophecies of the Jewish people and of Christianity. These powerful witnesses worked a conversion in Justin, and he was baptized around the age of 30.
 
The saint was most likely an ordained deacon, spending time at Ephesus with the Jewish population, and in Rome. He is most well known as the author of apologies, or explanations, of the early Church. These important texts give detailed descriptions of the early Church. The elements of faith and the Mass he gives correlate directly to how Catholic’s believe and practice today. His witness also shows that the Church of the second century read from the same texts as we do, he mentions the first three Gospels, the letters of Paul and 1 Peter, and is the first known to quote the Acts of the Apostles.
 
Eventually, Justin’s evangelical activity caused him to be arrested in the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 165. He, along with six companions, was scourged and beheaded by Rusticus, a prefect of Rome. An eyewitness account of his martyrdom still survives. St. Justin Martyr, pray for us!