The Martyrs Duty Rosary: A beautiful 16-inch-long hot coal agate, cottage style piece is a testament to all those who who give buy their lives

Ladies and gentlemen may I introduce you to The Martyrs Duty Rosary: This beautiful 16-inch-long hot coal agate, cottage style piece is a breathtaking testament to all those who gave up their lives either literally or figuratively for a cause. The design of this piece starts with the hot coal agate to really drive home the fact that if you are going to be a martyr you must light your life on fire first. Sacrificing everything you hold dear to the conflagration of your beliefs till it is nothing but hot coals. That's why I chose this stone for this piece it is the perfect visual and physical representation of that process. With its hints of red that play against the smoky tones of the translucent beads that are buy further paired with the predominantly white spheres of agate create an almost ethereal look to this rosary that really drives home its larger message. Now the heart and soul of this rosary comes from the Saint Sebastian centerpiece and the thick timber crucifix. You see St Sebastian is an early Christian saint and martyr who was killed during the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians. Sebastian was a captain of the Praetorian Guard the personal bodyguard of the emperor. He served Diocletian for years even growing close enough to call him a friend. But it all came to a crashing halt when after helping several high-ranking members of the roman aristocracy convert to Christianity he was exposed as a secret believer in Christ. A crime for which he was tied to a tree and shot with arrows, until they thought he was dead. His body left tied to the tree so the ravens could have their fill of his corps. But the ravens were left with empty bellies because through some miracle the salvo of arrows did not kill him. He was rescued from his early grave and healed by Saint Irene of Rome who hid him for months as he recovered from his wounds. After his convalescents he was driven by the love of Christ and compassion for his fellow Christians to go to the emperor to plead the case of his people and their right to exist. Barely able to walk he went to Diocletian to warn him about how the needless slaughter of men, women, and children whose greatest crime was offering alms to the wrong god was coring out the heart of the empire. Sebastian stood in front of Diocletian a resurrected man, delivering an impassioned plea from one friend to another that abounded with love. It was a speech that he poured everything into. His appeal was succinct and thoughtful in its process, woven together from the very fibers of his mortal coil. he left everything out there on that floor trying desperately to break through to the emperor's human decency and as a result he was clubbed to death. His body was subsequently thrown into a common sewer to once more be fed upon by animals. A holy lady, named Lucina, admonished by the martyr in a vision, privately removed the body and buried it in the catacombs at the entrance of the cemetery of Calixtus, where now stands the Basilica of St. Sebastian. Now I want to make something incredibly clear. First and foremost, Jesus wants you to be alive. The survival of you and your family in the face of persecution is the most important thing. The call to martyrdom is and incredibly somber duty that cannot be taken on lightly. But to be a true martyr to die for Christ without shedding a drop of blood and to show others that there is a better way to live is what this rosary is about. This tool of faith is about standing up for what is right about doing what is right. It's about living like St Sebastian and standing up for those around you when no one else will. It's about living with compassion and conviction even if it means your own death. This incredibly special piece is waiting to help you with your spiritual journey when you take it home today.