Saints Saturninus, Dativus, and Companions (sometimes referred to as the forty-nine martyrs of Abitina) died under the persecution of Diocletian in 304. The emperor’s edict included the order to destroy all copies of the Scriptures with fire and to give up meeting together. Many Christians obeyed, but many more refused. Saturninus was a priest in Abitina, in North Africa. He and his congregation were arrested one Sunday by one of the local magistrates and a group of soldiers. All of the Christians–both women and men–were incredibly brave, speaking boldly of their faith in Christ. In particular, their interrogators were interested in getting a confession of their taking part in the assembly of Christians (the Mass, or Divine Service). One of them answered: “Sine dominico non possumus” – we cannot live without this thing of the Lord, referring to the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. The martyrs were not executed but died in prison, either from prolonged exposure to harsh conditions or from the effects of the tortures they underwent.
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