The Eight Martyrs

This story comes from the Second Book of the Maccabees, or 2 Maccabees, one of the 73 books of the Old Testament. Martin Luther tossed this book from the Protestant Bible in the 1500’s because it references Purgatory.

As a reminder, the seven brothers from the Second Book of Maccabees are not the same as the Maccabees, the brothers who led the revolt against the Seleucid kings.

The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus, by Peter Paul Reubens. In the center is Judas Maccabeus, the most famous of the Maccabees, and the reason why Jesus had two apostles named “Judas.” Unfortunately for him, someone named after him became the most infamous person in human history, seriously damaging the popularity of the name.

Note the soldiers finding the pagan amulets at the bottom of the painting, and how they are giving them to the priest on the right. 2 Maccabees 12 describes how Judas ordered prayers to be offered up for the souls of those who died wearing the pagan amulets, praying for the souls in Purgatory.

The Freeing of the Souls from Purgatory, also by Peter Paul Reubens. Originally these two paintings went together.

The mother with the youngest son, by Gustave Dore. These are the brothers in Second Maccabees

The reliquary containing the remains of the seven brothers in Cologne, Germany. The relics originally resided in Antioch.