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It is unlikely that this soldier of the Roman Empire knew much about Jesus, or knew anything at all about him, when he helped at Jesus’ crucifixion. But Saint Luke tells us about his response to what happened then. “St. Luke tells us that the centurion ‘gave praise to God’, and exclaimed, “‘this was an upright man.’ (Luke 23:47)” There are stories about what happened during his life afterwards as a Christian, and the Catholic Church venerates him as a martyr.
“The statue of Saint Longinus, sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is one of four in the niches beneath the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. A spearpoint fragment from the Holy Lance is also conserved in the Basilica.”
It is unlikely that this soldier of the Roman Empire knew much about Jesus, or knew anything at all about him, when he helped at Jesus’ crucifixion. But Saint Luke tells us about his response to what happened then. “St. Luke tells us that the centurion ‘gave praise to God’, and exclaimed, “‘this was an upright man.’ (Luke 23:47)” There are stories about what happened during his life afterwards as a Christian, and the Catholic Church venerates him as a martyr.
“The statue of Saint Longinus, sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is one of four in the niches beneath the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. A spearpoint fragment from the Holy Lance is also conserved in the Basilica.”