Feast day: March 12

St. Maximilian of Tebessa

Martyr · c. 274–295

Patron of Conscientious objectors

A young North African who, brought before the proconsul to be enrolled as a soldier, refused on the grounds that his conscience as a Christian would not let him bear arms, and was executed.

Maximilian is one of the earliest and clearest cases in Christian history of a conscientious objector. He was a young North African, son of a Roman veteran, brought in the year 295 before the proconsul at Theveste, in modern Algeria, to be enrolled as a soldier — as the son of a veteran was legally bound to be.

The official record of his trial survives almost word for word. Measured for the army and ordered to accept the soldier's badge, Maximilian refused, declaring that his conscience as a Christian would not let him bear arms or shed blood.

The proconsul pointed out that there were already Christians serving in the imperial armies; Maximilian answered that he could only answer for himself, and would not do evil. Warned repeatedly, and given every chance to relent, he held firm.

He was sentenced to death and beheaded, just twenty-one years old, and a Christian woman buried him near the tomb of St. Cyprian at Carthage. His refusal has made him, in modern times, a patron of conscientious objectors.

Often called the first recorded conscientious objector, he told the court plainly, 'I cannot serve as a soldier; I am a Christian,' and died for it at twenty-one.

“I cannot serve as a soldier; I cannot do evil. I am a Christian.”
— St. Maximilian of Tebessa

Source: newadvent.org/cathen/10075a.htm