00:00They didn't run from death. They begged for it. In ancient Rome, being a martyr was so respected
00:07that people actually lined up to die for it. They called them voluntary martyrs.
00:13During the persecution of Christians, Roman officials would be holding trials,
00:17and crowds of Christians would just show up at the courthouse door, shouting,
00:21We are Christians too! Kill us! The Romans were so confused by it, one governor told them,
00:27If you all want to die so badly, go jump off a cliff or hang yourselves.
00:32But the craziest story is St. Polycarp. When the Romans tried to burn him alive,
00:38witnesses wrote that the flames wouldn't touch him. The fire formed like an arch around his body,
00:43like he was inside a bubble. They had to stab him to actually kill him. And when they did,
00:49so much blood came out, it put out the fire. They wanted death to scare people. Instead,
00:55it made them legendary.
