Feast of Saint Justin Martyr – June 1

The Church remembers Saint Justin Martyr on June 1, born in 103 in Neapolis (today Nablus) in the Holy Land. He died a martyr's death in Rome in about 165, at the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Justin was probably of Gentile origin and received a classic training in Greek and philosophy. Having been baptized, he turned his classical training to good use in defending the Christian faith. One of his important works tells of a meeting with a Jew, Trypho, with whom he debates long and hard the interpretation of the Scriptures of Israel, trying to show that the Scriptures awaited fulfillment in Jesus Christ.