On this day, Crispin and Crispinian, two martyrs of the early Christian church, were beheaded during the Diocletian persecution. The legend relates that the two brothers were Romans of distinguished descent who went as missionaries to Gaul and took up residence in Soissons where they preached publicly during the day and worked as shoemakers during the night. When the brothers were brought before Diocletian’s co-emperor Maximian, he failed to dissuade them from their faith and handed them over to Rictiovarus, the prefect of Gaul. Rictiovarus was a cruel persecutor of Christians and he subjected the two brothers to every form of torture imaginable. His attempts failed miserably and eventually Maximian decided to have them beheaded. Today the two brothers are recognised by the Chritian church as the patron saints of cobblers, curriers, tanners, and leather workers.
