Sts. Seven Brothers Maccabei

The Seven Brothers Maccabees were a group of Jewish brothers who lived in the 2nd century BC and were martyred for their refusal to renounce their faith. They are celebrated on the feast day of August 1st. The brothers, along with their mother Solomonia, were executed by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes for refusing to eat pork and worship Greek gods. They are venerated as symbols of religious freedom and devotion to God. The Seven Brothers Maccabees are the patron saints of large families.