noun
- the first martyrs or earliest Christian martyrs, especially those who died for their faith before official persecution began
Usage: religious; historical
Examples
- The protomartyrs of the early church are remembered for their courage.
- Stephen is often considered one of the protomartyrs of Christianity.
- Church historians study the accounts of the protomartyrs to understand early persecution.
- The protomartyrs set an example of faith for later generations of Christians.
- Many protomartyrs died during the reign of Emperor Nero.
- The stories of protomartyrs were preserved in early Christian writings.