Longinus

About Longinus

Longinus is the name Christian tradition gives to a soldier associated with the death of Jesus. The Roman Martyrology remembers him at Jerusalem as the soldier venerated for piercing the Lord’s side.

John’s Gospel describes an unnamed soldier piercing Jesus’s side; Mark describes an unnamed centurion recognizing him as God’s Son. Neither passage supplies the name Longinus, and the two soldiers should not simply be treated as one documented individual.

The second Greek form of the Gospel of Nicodemus names its centurion Longinus. In the same chapter, the soldier who pierces Jesus remains unnamed. That distinction matters when tracing the story: a name preserved in this religious narrative is not independent confirmation of the identity of a soldier in the Gospels.

The Orthodox Church in America’s received life tells of Longinus leaving military service, preaching in Cappadocia, and welcoming the soldiers sent to kill him. He refuses to escape and dies with two companions. These are traditions of conversion and martyrdom, not details established by a contemporary personal record.

His remembrance also has a visible liturgical setting. Saint Peter’s Basilica announced a display of a venerated lance for 28 February 2026. The announcement itself describes its identification with Longinus as traditional. This is evidence of continuing devotion, not proof of the relic’s authenticity or of a journey Longinus made to Rome.

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Prayers for Longinus