Feast Day: July 18
Date of Martyrdom: ca. A.D. 138
Place: Tibur (modern-day Tivoli), Italy
Emperor: Hadrian (r. 117–138)
Historical and Spiritual Context
The martyrdom of Saint Symphorosa and her Seven Sons bears a striking parallel to the Old Testament account of the Maccabean Mother and her sons (cf. 2 Maccabees 7), who preferred death to violating the Law of God. Similarly, Symphorosa, a Christian widow during the second century, encouraged each of her sons to endure torture and death rather than renounce Christ. Their story reflects the spirit of early Christian martyrdom: an unshakable fidelity to Christ, even unto death.
Life and Martyrdom
Saint Symphorosa was the wife of Saint Getulius, a Roman military officer who converted to Christianity and was martyred for the Faith. After his death, Symphorosa and her seven sons—Crescens, Julian, Nemesius, Primitivus, Justin, Stacteus, and Eugene—continued to live piously, refusing to worship the pagan gods of Rome.
Under the rule of Emperor Hadrian, Christianity was still illegal, and public refusal to worship the Roman deities was considered a capital offense. When reports of Symphorosa’s Christian faith reached the emperor, he ordered her arrest and demanded she sacrifice to the Roman gods. She refused.
The Martyrdom of Symphorosa
After refusing to apostatize, Symphorosa was tortured. She was scourged, hung by her hair, and finally drowned in the Anio River with a stone tied around her neck. Her body was later recovered by Christians and reverently buried.
The Martyrdom of Her Sons
The emperor then turned his cruelty toward her seven sons. According to tradition, Hadrian summoned them and offered wealth and honors if they would sacrifice to the idols. When they, like their mother, refused, he ordered each to be executed in a different manner to discourage other Christians:
- Crescens – pierced through the throat.
- Julian – pierced through the breast.
- Nemesius – pierced through the heart.
- Primitivus – stabbed in the stomach.
- Justin – pierced through the back.
- Stacteus – stabbed in the side.
- Eugene – struck through the head.
Their bodies, according to tradition, were cast into a deep ditch and later reverently entombed.
Cultus and Legacy
The cult of Saint Symphorosa and her sons was venerated early on by the faithful. Their tomb near Tibur became a place of pilgrimage. They are mentioned in the ancient Martyrologium Hieronymianum, and their feast was observed liturgically on July 18 in the traditional Roman Martyrology.
These martyrs serve as exemplars of familial holiness, maternal courage, and the supreme value of eternal life over temporal safety.
Spiritual Lessons and Reflections
- Christian Courage: The unwavering fidelity of Symphorosa and her sons calls us to examine our own courage in the face of moral and spiritual trials.
- Sanctity of the Family: The sanctity of the family is vividly portrayed in this family of martyrs. Their shared faith bound them together in eternal glory.
- Glory in Suffering: Like the martyrs of every age, their suffering was not in vain, but a participation in the Passion of Christ.
Liturgical Text (Excerpt from the Roman Martyrology, July 18)
At Tivoli, the holy martyrs Symphorosa, widow of the martyr Getulius, and her seven sons Crescens, Julian, Nemesius, Primitivus, Justin, Stacteus, and Eugene. Under Emperor Hadrian, Symphorosa was first most cruelly tormented for the Faith and finally thrown into the river with a great stone tied to her neck. Her sons were affixed to stakes and all of them were slain in diverse ways; thus by a glorious death they together attained to the kingdom of Heaven.