Confessor and died in peace. A notable example of this usage is the English king St. Edward the Confessor. During the Diocletianic Persecution, a number of Christians had, under torture or threat of torture, weakened in their profession of the faith. When the persecutions ceased under Constantine the Great, they wanted to be reunited with the Church. It became the practice of the penitents to go to the Confessors, those who had willingly suffered for the faith and survived, to plead their case and effect their restoration to communion. Thus, the word has come to denote any priest who has been
Iste confessor Noster hinc illi chorus obsequentem // Concinit laudem, celebresque palmas; 5 Sit salus illi, decus, atque virtus, // Qui super cæli solio coruscans, </poem> This confessor of the Lord honouring <poem> 1 This confessor of the Lord, honouring // whom, piously people praise worldwide [If it is not the day of his death, the last line is changed to:] 2 Who holy, prudent, humble, modest // led a sober life without sin 3 On account of whose merit, frequently // sick limbs, from many places, languishing 4 Hence our choir, praying to him, sing praise (about his) famous victories 5