Justin Martyr

Saint

Justin Martyr
Saint; Justin Martyr
	15th-century icon of Justin Martyr by Theophanes the Cretan
Theologian, Apologist, and Martyr
Born	c. AD 100; Flavia Neapolis, Judaea, Roman Empire
Died	c. AD 165; Rome, Italia, Roman Empire
Venerated in	Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Oriental Orthodoxy; Lutheranism; Anglicanism
Canonized	Pre-Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Feast	1 June (Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, Anglicanism); 14 April (Roman Calendar, 1882–1969)
Patronage	PhilosophersPhilosophy career
Other names	Justin the Philosopher
Notable work	First Apology
Era	Ancient philosophy
School	Middle Platonism
Main interests	Apologetics
Notable ideas	Logos; Virtuous pagan; Second Coming; Last Adam; Second Eve ;
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Justin, known posthumously as Justin Martyr (Greek: Ἰουστῖνος ὁ μάρτυς, romanized: Ioustinos ho martys; c. AD 100 – c. AD 165), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher.

Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well-known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the Church. Further, he also indicates, as St. Augustine would later, regarding the "true religion" that predated Christianity,^[5] that the "seeds of Christianity" (manifestations of the Logos acting in history) actually predated Christ's incarnation. This notion allows him to claim many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato), in whose works he was well studied, as unknowing Christians.

Justin was martyred, along with some of his students, and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church,^[6] the Eastern Orthodox Church,^[7] the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, and in Anglicanism.^[8]

^ Thomas Whitlaw, Commentary on John (1885), p. xl
^ St. Justin Martyr, patron of philosophers, honored on June 1
^ McNally, Terrence J. (2009). What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary. Xlibris Corporation. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-4415-1051-8.
^ Iliara LE Ramelli. (2016). Social Justice and the Legitimacy of Slavery: The Role of Philosophical Asceticism from Ancient Judaism to Late Antiquity. 53 pp.
^ "The very thing which is now called the Christian religion existed among the ancients also, nor was it wanting from the inception of the human race until the coming of Christ in the flesh, at which point the true religion which was already in existence began to be called Christian." – St. Augustine, Retractiones
^ Cite error: The named reference Catholic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Justin the Philosopher & Martyr and his Companions". Retrieved 2 April 2011.
^ "For All the Saints" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2012.

[1] Thomas Whitlaw, Commentary on John (1885), p. xl

[2] St. Justin Martyr, patron of philosophers, honored on June 1

[3] McNally, Terrence J. (2009). What Every Catholic Should Know about Mary. Xlibris Corporation. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-4415-1051-8.

[4] Iliara LE Ramelli. (2016). Social Justice and the Legitimacy of Slavery: The Role of Philosophical Asceticism from Ancient Judaism to Late Antiquity. 53 pp.

[5] "The very thing which is now called the Christian religion existed among the ancients also, nor was it wanting from the inception of the human race until the coming of Christ in the flesh, at which point the true religion which was already in existence began to be called Christian." – St. Augustine, Retractiones

[Catholic-6] Cite error: The named reference Catholic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[7] "Justin the Philosopher & Martyr and his Companions". Retrieved 2 April 2011.

[8] "For All the Saints" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2012.

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