St. Fortunatus is among the many men and women who were martyred for their faith, but little else is remember about their life besides their unwavering love for God.

The word Martyr derives from the Greek word martyria which means “witness”. A martyr is a person who is willing to suffer persecution, torture, and even death rather than renounce the faith. Martyrs are deeply honored by the Church because of their willingness to endure severe hardships and humiliations, and to embrace the ultimate sacrifice, life itself, in the name of Christ. 

The term martyria is thus most appropriate, for the martyr is giving testimony or witness to his or her faith. It is a testament of someone standing up and testifying to the faith, even though the person faces imprisonment, torture, and death; such a narrative of faith goes beyond a simple declaration of belief, and is the ultimate expression of unshakable faith and devotion to Christ. 

The first Christian martyr, the protomartyr of the Church, was the deacon St. Stephen, who was stoned to death by a mob for professing his faith in Christ. In the years to come, the Apostles followed Stephen on the path to martyrdom, and it was commonly understood in the early Church that the term “martyr” denoted someone who had died for the faith. 

All these saints are important because they were among the many early witnesses to Jesus Christ and the Christian faith. These are our spiritual fathers, our older brothers and sisters in Christ, who showed us that our faith was worth living and dying for. They showed us that, strengthened by the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, they could overcome any persecutions and sufferings, even to the point of being killed. These saints give us great hope, and their prayers for us give us confidence that we, too, can live out the faith as they did, that we can live our life in Christ every day and look forward to the glory of heaven!