Sts. Lucian and Marcian were martyrs from ancient Rome with a colorful and courageous account of their deaths.

We are told that these two lived in Nicomedia and studied black magic. When they attempted to use their enchantments against a Christian woman, their charms failed. They became curious about her faith, and were converted.

They made a show of burning their books publicly and gave away their wealth to the poor. They began spreading the faith to others, and when Rome began persecuting Christians, they were arrested. They were sentenced to torture and death, and protested against the injustice that they were allowed to practice their magic in the open, but that they were now being punished for becoming Christians and better citizens.

When they were threatened with further torture, Marcian said, “We are ready to suffer, but we will not renounce the true God, lest we be cast into a fire which will never be quenched.” They were condemned to be burned alive, and they went to the place of their death with joy.

The story we have of these two saints is likely an embellishment that was added to help explain the lives of a real group of martyrs from Nicomedia. Relics of Sts. Lucian and Marcian rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, though it is unclear if these are genuine relics from the Nicomedia martyrs or are fabricated relics from these saints. It is also possible that the relics of St. Lucian and St. Marcian in the Basilica are connected with other saints from ancient Rome—they were common names for the time.

Sts. Lucian and Marcian, though the stories of your holiness may be saintly legend, it describes the courage of a group of real martyrs—pray for us!