Today's Saint
May 24
Sts. Donatian and Rogatian (Martyrs)
Donatian and Rogatian were brothers of a notable Roman-Gallo family living in Nantes, Brittany. Donatian had become a convert to Christianity and led such an edifying life that his brother Rogatian was eventually moved to desire the sacrament of baptism.
The story is told that, because the persecution of Emperor Maximian was raging, the bishop had been forced into hiding, so Rogatian was unable to be baptized. However, it does seem that Donatian would have been aware that he could have administered the sacrament to his brother himself. At any rate, both brothers were arrested when they refused to worship the gods. They were thrown into prison where it is said that they spent the night in fervent prayer. The next day, after declaring their willingness to suffer anything for the Name of Jesus, they were stretched on the rack, their heads pierced with lances, then they were finally beheaded. Their martyrdom occurred around the year 287.
At the end of the fifth century, a church was built over their tomb. Bishop Albert of Ostia translated their relics to the cathedral in 1145
