Celebrating Sts. Abdon and Sennen on July 30.
Sts. Abdon and Sennen, celebrated on July 30, were Persian nobles who came to Rome during the third century and became Christians. According to tradition, after witnessing the suffering of persecuted believers under Emperor Decius, they began burying the bodies of martyrs and caring for the faithful. When this became known, they were arrested, tortured, and ultimately beheaded in the Colosseum.
Their relics were later honored in Rome, and their names have been preserved in the Roman Martyrology for centuries, a testimony to the early Church’s reverence for those who risked everything in quiet fidelity.
Though little historical detail survives, their example speaks clearly. These were men of stature and status in their homeland, yet they chose solidarity with the suffering over safety, and truth over position.
For Catholic professionals, Abdon and Sennen remind us that faithfulness may require us to sacrifice social standing, comfort, or even career advancement. But it also calls us to be present where the Gospel is most needed, especially among those ignored or rejected.
They show us that mercy and courage can walk hand-in-hand—and that witness sometimes means standing with the vulnerable, no matter the cost.