00:00Imagine Roman Gaul in the 3rd century.
00:03Two brothers, Crispins and Crispinians, originally from Rome, arrive in Soissons.
00:08They are not bishops or soldiers, but humble shoemakers.
00:12During the day, they make and repair shoes for the locals.
00:16At night, or discreetly during their work, they share their Christian faith.
00:21Their workshop is a meeting place, not just for feet, but also for souls.
00:27The persecution of Diocletians hit the Christian community hard.
00:31Crispins and Crispinians are required to renounce their faith and worship the Roman gods.
00:37But the brothers categorically refuse.
00:40Governor Rictiovarus, a man known for his cruelty, orders their arrest.
00:46They are subjected to horrific torture.
00:49Their fingers are pierced with breath.
00:51They tie millstones around their necks.
00:53We throw them into the groin.
00:55But they miraculously emerge from it, protected by their unwavering faith.
01:00Nothing can break their determination.
01:03Finally, faced with their steadfastness, they were beheaded, refusing to the very end to abandon Christ.
01:10It was October 25th, the day the Church celebrates their memory.
01:15Their story is one of faith lived daily, in the humility of manual labor.
01:21Crispin and his followers show us that holiness is not reserved for an elite.
01:26but that it can be expressed in any profession, even the simplest,
01:31transforming a workshop into a place of evangelization.
01:35Today, Crispin and Crispinian are the patron saints of shoemakers and tanners.
01:40and of all those who work with leather.
01:43They remind us of the importance of honesty, service, and perseverance in our own lives.
01:49regardless of our profession.
01:51Their courage in the face of adversity remains a source of inspiration.
01:56a shining example of the strength that faith can give.
02:00Their courage in the face of adversity, service and the strength that faith can give.
