At the time of Emperor Diocletian there lived a wealthy widow in Rome named Aglae. She kept numerous servants and appointed as housemaster a young man, Boniface (Bonifacius). The two lived in an intimate relationship but concealed it from the public. Boniface treasured the joy of love and drink but also had three worthy traits: he was mild-mannered, hospitable and just in business relationships, being strict about weights and measures.
At this time, Diocletian began persecuting Christians in southern Italy, many of whom earned their eternal crown through martyrdom. When Aglae learned of this from her patrons, she summoned Boniface and told him that she had decided to give up her sinful life and to convert her household to a Christian church. To this purpose, she required reliquaries of Christian martyrs and that Boniface should obtain them from southern Italy.
The young man chose companions for his trip, provided them with the needed money and bid his mistress goodbye. “Will you likely accept me into your church if I return as a pious man?” “Give up your nonsense and alcohol and command yourself to the Lord so that he leads you by his will”, answered Aglae.
Boniface traveled to southern Italy, went directly to Diocletian and dared to confront him about his horrors against the Christians. He was then captured, a hot iron placed in his mouth into which molten lead was poured. Laughing, he endured the torture and died. His companions took his body to Rome.
The day before they arrived, a heavenly apparition appeared to Aglae, commanding her to retrieve the remains of the martyrs with celebration and to entomb them in the house she intended to dedicate to God. She obeyed the command and remained an eager and faithful servant of God until her death.