Description

The main officers of the Imperial Roman Guard were the centurions, each in charge of 100 men, hence the name “century.” These Centurion Generals wore adorned plumed helmets that could be easily seen in battle. In the Christian Scriptures, Jesus interacts with many of them. He heals the centurions servant and a variant of his response is used in Mass today; “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” Centurions also arrested Jesus, mocked him and crucified him. But it is also a centurion that recognized “Truly this was the Son of God.” The first public gentile convert, Cornelius, was also a centurion. And at the hand of centurions, many martyrs were born.