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Early Christian Martyrs

St. Martin of Tours acquired two of perhaps its best-known holdings, the relics of two martyrs, Sts. Magnus and Bonosa, put to death during the third century persecution of Christians by the Romans. The relics were donated to St. Martin after they were removed from their 200-year resting place at the monastery of the Cistercian Nuns of Agnani, Italy, because the monastery was seized by the Italian Government. St. Magnus was a Roman centurion and St. Bonosa was a Roman Virgin.

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Emperor Diocletian put Magnus, a Roman centurion, and Bonosa, a virgin, to death in the third century A.D. during the persecution of Christians. The martyrs’ remains were interred in the catacombs of Pontiani, Italy, and rested there until 1700, when the Cardinal-Custodian of Holy Relics entrusted them to the Cistercian Nuns of Agnani, near Rome. The relics were venerated there for nearly two centuries, until the Italian government confiscated the monastery and forced the Sisters to leave.With the permission of Pope Leo XIII, the bones were carefully packed and shipped to Msgr. Francis Zabler, pastor of St. Martin of Tours Church, who had petitioned the Holy Father for relics. They arrived at the customs office in Louisville on December 31, 1901 and were taken to St. Martin’s, where they were placed in glass fronted reliquaries beneath the side altars.To Rome, the pastor sent a letter of gratitude, saying, “We thank God and His Saints for these great treasures, which are more to us than gold and silver and diamonds. May St. Bonosa and St. Magnus, in their third resting place at St. Martin’s, rest in peace until the great Resurrection morning. Let us, as children of St. Martin’s, honor these relics, emulate their example, beseeching them to assist us to profess our faith heroically until death.”St. Bonosa’s feast is celebrated on July 15th, and St. Magnus’ feast is celebrated on August 19th.