Justin Martyr, Saint

Justin Martyr (Greek: Ἰουστῖνος ὁ Μάρτυς, romanized: Ioustînos ho Mártys; c. 90–100 AD – 165 AD), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher. The First Apology, his most well-known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life and provides various arguments to convince the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius to abandon persecution of the Church. Justin also indicates that historical manifestations of the Logos predated Christ's incarnation, and that many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato) were unknowing Christians. Justin was martyred, along with some of his students, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius around the year 165, and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, and in Anglicanism.