Martyrs' Grotto Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fouirvière

Martyrs

View of a mosaic of six Christian Martyrs that is located in the grotto of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fouirvière that is located in Lyon, France.

The mosaic depicts 6 of the some 40 Christians processing to the arena where they would be devoured by wild animals as a public spectacle.  From left to right: Blandina, Ponticus, Attalus, Alexander, Maturus, and Sanctus of Vienne.  Their ashes were thrown into the Rhône.

The basilica was built between 1872 and 1896.  The basilica occupies the site of what was once the Roman Forum of Trajan in Lugdunum (Latin: forum vetus [old forum]).  The name was inverted and corrupted to the French Vieux-Forum.