Daily Saint

“My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world. I tell you I am a Christian.”

These were the words of St. Maximilian, a courageous Christian soldier in the late third century who gave his life rather than renounce his faith under pressure to comply with Roman law.

Born in Tebessa, Algeria, St. Maximilian’s father, a Christian named Fabius Victor, served in the Roman army. Because of his father’s military service, the Roman military expected St. Maximilian to comply with the law requiring all men to register for military duty at age 21.

St. Maximilian was tried, and those present at the trial were bewildered by St. Maximilian’s calm assurance in his Faith as he explained the reason for his refusal to enlist, exhibiting no fear of death. The Roman court made several attempts to persuade him to change his mind, offering him a higher-ranking position because of his noble birthright, but he refused. They tried reasoning with him, questioning that if other soldiers who were Christians served the Roman army, why couldn’t he? St. Maximilian calmly replied that he could only answer on his own behalf and that, as a Christian soldier, he served God alone, not the world. Repeatedly, he proclaimed with great conviction his total allegiance to Jesus Christ.

Finally sentenced to death by beheading, St. Maximilian accepted the pronouncement with the inner peace of a man who knew that his soul would not die but be with Christ for eternity.

St. Maximilian was beheaded on March 12, 295, remaining faithful to Christ to the end. His father, who witnessed his martyrdom, left rejoicing and thanking God for the gift of his son, which had now been offered to Heaven.