Rev. A. J. O'Reilly

Fr. A. J. O’Reilly was a Catholic priest and ecclesiastical historian of the nineteenth century, best known as the author of Martyrs of the Coliseum. Learned, sober in judgment, and reverent in tone, he devoted his scholarship to defending and illustrating the early history of the Church, particularly the witness of the Roman martyrs. His writings reflect a deep fidelity to Catholic tradition and a careful use of patristic and historical sources, aiming to strengthen the faith of the faithful through an accurate and vivid account of Christian antiquity.