Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Maximilian of Theveste.

Maximilian of Tebessa, also known as St. Maximilian of Theveste, was a martyr who died in 296. The liturgies of the late Roman Empire African churches frequently featured readings from the acts of martyrdom. The one commonly cited for Saint Maximilian is the verified account of his trial and execution in Numidia (now Algeria) for his refusal to join the Roman army.

Maximilian objected because he didn’t want to be associated with the emperor’s devotion by wearing an image of him around his neck. As a pacifist and maybe one of the first conscientious objectors, Maximilian also declined. The radical pacifism that Our Lord promoted and the less extreme but more pragmatic approach that permits self-defense and righteous conflict has long been a source of contention within the Church.

Before the Edict of Milan and the tolerance of Christianity, Christians traditionally believed that carrying a weapon contradicted the teaching of the Gospel. For instance, Tertullian forbade serving in the military. As contradictory as being a prostitute and a catechumen, Saint Hippolytus found it impossible to be both (at least part of his reasoning dealt with soldiers’ association with pagan gods and sacrifices).

The Church softened its stance. According to the Council of Arles, soldiers who quit the military during peacetime would be excommunicated (314). The proconsul Dion visited Theveste in about 295 to find soldiers stationed there for the third Augustan legion. The Roman army at the period mainly consisted of volunteers, but sons of veterans were required to enlist. The 21-year-old son of Roman army veteran Fabius Victor, Maximilian, was introduced to the recruiter. Maximilian would make a great recruit, so the Advocatus Pompeianus requested that he be measured. He was 5’10” tall.

Due to this, they repeatedly tried to have him enlist in the Roman Army despite his vehement protest citing that he was a Christian and thus won’t take up arms even though there were Christians who served as bodyguards to the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Because of this, he was sentenced to death by execution for refusing to take the military oath.

Source: catholic.org