Polyeuct and Nearchus (See photo above.): (There are two similar stories of Roman soldiers who were martyred and became saints. The other two were gay men were Sergius and Bacchus. The two stories are so much alike as to make one wonder if they were the same account, told from a different tradition. Wikipedia reports on both separately. To read their accounts, Click Here, and Click Here.)

"These Roman soldiers were among the first same-sex lovers in the days of the early church, according to Yale historian John Boswell. A church would later be built in Polyeuct's name in Constantine, and scholars point to this relationship as evidence of greater acceptance in the third century of same-sex relationships than the Catholic Church would show in later centuries."

Ron: Finally it is recognized that the early Christian Church was filled with Roman slaves, many of whom had been forced to have same sex with their owners. Also, many slaves were gay by nature, and may have been purchased they were gay in the first place. Gay male slaves, like eunuchs, were considered safe from harming female members of the household. Bi-owners of male slave would have same sex relationships with their slaves whether or not the slave was gay. While this was general known, a slave who revealed it would lose both his balls and his head.

As the Western Roman Empire began to crumble so did the church's acceptance of gay people. The Eastern Empire in Constantinople continued another thousand years with, if not an open acceptance of gay people, at least a "look the other way" stance. (To see pictures and a listing of 30 gay saints in history, Click Here.