Decius was emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251. Shortly after he took office he ordered all his subjects to offer sacrifices to the gods in his belief that the restoration of state cults was necessary for the well-being of the empire. Those who have done so were issued certificates by the local authorities testifying to the fact.
Persecution against Christians began when they refused to obey the edict. Fabian, the Bishop of Rome, was the first to suffer martyrdom on this occasion. Thousands of Christians died afterwards. Christians who did sacrifice and later repented raised many difficult problems for the church, and their cases have often been cited in the interpretation of difficult texts like Heb 6:4-8 about the fate of those who had "fallen away" and whether they can be restored to the faith.
©ALBERITH
u221020lch