Sts. Saturninus And Companions

St. Saturninus was one of the Martyrs of Abitinae (or Abitinian Martyrs), which were a group of 49 Christians found guilty, in 304, during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, of having illegally celebrated Sunday worship at Abitinae, a town in the Roman province of Africa. The town is frequently referred to as Abitina, but the form indicated in the Annuario Pontificio is Abitinae. The year before, Diocletian had published his first edict against the Christians, ordering the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire, and prohibiting Christians from assembling for worship. St. Saturninus and the others were imprisoned and tortured for celebarating mass, and all died in prison while refusing to renounce their faith.