The Massa Candida were 153 or 300 early

Christian martyrs In Christianity, a martyr is a person who was killed for their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus. In the years of the early church, stories depict this often occurring through death by sawing, stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake, or ...

from Utica who were martyred for their refusal to offering

incense Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...

to Roman idols, around AD 258. They were put to death by

Galerius Maximus Galerius Maximus was a Roman senator, who was active during the mid third century. He was suffect consul for an undetermined '' nundinium'' in the early 240s. Galerius Maximus is best known as the proconsul of Roman Africa who condemned Bishop Cypr ...

, the governor of the province of Africa. The title "Massa Candida" or "White Mass or Lump" refers to their manner of death. The ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' reports that they were hurled into a pit of burning lime and thus reduced to a mass of white powder. They are commemorated on 24 August.

References

3rd-century Christian martyrs Year of birth unknown {{saint-stub