Nereus and Achilleus

Saints Nereus and Achilleus were born in Rome, though the details of their early lives are lost to history. What endures is their witness among the first generations of the Church in the heart of the Empire. Ancient Roman lists from the fifth century remember them as brothers in martyrdom, buried along the Via Ardeatina in the Catacomb of Domitilla, where Christians gathered to honor them with a special Mass on May 12. An early inscription associated with Pope Damasus portrays them as soldiers who once served a tyrannical power with obedience, until Christ captured their hearts. Converted, they renounced their military commission and chose fidelity to the Gospel over the demands of the state. For this courageous change of life, they suffered death by beheading, embracing martyrdom with joy. Their relics were later translated to a Roman church dedicated in their name, and their memory has remained woven into the Church’s prayer. Saints Nereus and Achilleus are celebrated on May 12.