On this day the Church lovingly remembers the first fruits of the martyrs of the Church at Rome, the disciples of the Apostles, who perished under the Emperor Nero. They were falsely accused of having set fire to the city and were put to death after suffering most cruel and unheard of torments. Saint Peter and Saint Paul later died in the same persecution.
The Torches of Nero, by Henryk Siemiradzki (source)
