Christian Martyrs (draft)

Keeping the Faith

Concordius of Spoleto (c. 178)

Early Roman Christians found themselves living in a hostile and pagan society that tested
their faith to the utmost. As a subdeacon in Umbria, Concordius was captured during the
organised persecution of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Taken in front of the governor
Torquatus at Spoleto (present-day Italy) he was forced to renounce his faith. He replied “I
have already told you, I am a Christian and confess Jesus Christ”. This led to a harsh beating
and torture, yet still he remembered his Saviour by singing “Glory be to thee, Lord Jesus!”
After three days imprisonment two soldiers brought a statue of the god Jupiter for Concordius
to worship. Instead of doing this the subdeacon spat on the idol, an action that saw him
beheaded immediately in his prison cell. He is traditionally honoured on the first day of the
year.

You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the
Lord you God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. King
David (fl. 1000 BC), Psalm 81:9-10

Polycarp (c. 155/6)

A disciple of John the Apostle, Polycarp became bishop to the Christians in Smyrna, a city on
the western coast of Asia Minor. Throughout his life he defended orthodox faith in the face
of heresy and became a highly respected churchman.
Betrayed at the end of his life, he was given into the hands of the Roman authorities, who
were in that period of history hostile anti-Christians. He was brought before the Roman
proconsul who asked him to renounce his faith. Polycarp replied, “For eighty-six years I have
been His servant and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme against my King and
Saviour?”
He was bound, stabbed with a sword and burnt at the stake. His martyrdom became the first
regularly commemorated on record in Christendom.

We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his
likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Paul the
Apostle (d. 64/5), 2 Corinthians 3:18

A Buddhist Crowd

Eleanor Chestnut (1905)

In 1905 Eleanor was working at the isolated mission station of Lianzhou, which also housed a
woman’s hospital. She had received medical training in America and had sailed to China in
1894 to serve the Lord at the mission hospital. One day a conversation between Dr Ella
Machle and the Buddhist priests of an adjacent temple turned into a heated argument about
the construction of a temporary Buddhist structure on hospital land. The doctor managed to
settle the dispute amicably; however a crowd had gathered, which was whipped into a frenzy
by some antagonistic bystanders. The crowd attacked the mission station, burning it to the
ground. Eleanor, the Reverend and Mrs John Peale, the doctor and her ten-year-old daughter
managed to find refuge with a Buddhist priest. When the crowd followed them, there was no
escape, they were set upon and killed.
God did not forget these isolated Chinese and two years later missionaries arrived and rebuilt
the hospital and church.

The mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members
together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Paul the Apostle
(d. 64/5), Ephesians 3:6

A Soldier’s Stand

Marinus (c. 262)

As a distinguished soldier of the Roman Empire, Marinus was stationed at Caesarea in

Palestine. He was about to be promoted to the post of centurion when he was denounced as a
Christian who would not sacrifice to the emperors, by a jealous rival who wanted to receive
Marinus’ appointment. The magistrate interrogated him and told him to reconsider. While
thinking over the decision that needed to be made he was encouraged by Bishop Theotecnus
to choose the gospel rather than life as a soldier. He was put to death c. 262. A Roman
senator Astyrius took his body for burial. Traditionally he is honoured on 3 March.

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love,
endurance, persecutions, suffering – what kinds of things happened to me…the persecutions I
endured. Paul the Apostle (d. 64/5), 2 Timothy 3:10

Moravian Indians

Gnadenhutten Massacre (1782)

Under the preaching of David Zeisberger, a missionary to the Indian tribes of Pennsylvania,
thousands were converted to Christianity. The Delaware (Lenape) Indians especially saw
many conversions. There became established ‘Christian villages’, but these met with
hostility, for the Christians were peace-loving and would not be drawn into the inter-ethnic
conflict of white against Indian.
This non-violent stance meant that the Christians were easy target, especially of the warring
Americans and British. As a result they were forcibly removed from their settlement to a
brutal temporary village. This forced many of the villagers to return to their original land in
the winter of 1781.
Unknown to the villagers an Indian war party had killed a local settler family. They were
falsely suspected of harbouring the killers. On 8 March 1782 the locals attacked and
massacred ninety unarmed Christian Indians at Gnadenhutten and razed their homes to the
ground. Seven years later they were given a Christian burial by returning Moravian Indians.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when
you made your confession in the presence of many witnesses. Paul the Apostle (d. 64/5), 1
Timothy 6:12

Thailand

Minka Hanskamp and Margaret Morgan (1975)

Minka and Margaret nursed leprosy victims in southern Thailand at a time when liberation
militias were warring against government troops. Both were seasoned missionaries, yet on
the 20 April 1974, on their way to a clinic in Pujud town, they were unexpectedly abducted by
Muslim extremists. Shortly after, their affiliated missionary agency got news that a ransom
demand was being made on the women’s lives. Not giving in to extremism, negotiations
were tried, but failed. Soon the abductors were demanding US withdrawal of support from
Israel. Within a few months, letters from the two women stopped coming.
In March 1975 an informer came forward to say that both women had been shot. He reported
that as they were about to die they asked, “Give us a little time to read and prayer.”
Proof of this story came on 20 March when the skeletons of Minka and Margaret were found
in the jungle. To the astonishment of the Christians attending their funeral an unexpected
number of inquirers asked to know more about the Christianity of the women.

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God
but our lives as well. Paul the Apostle (d. 64/5), 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Persian Saints

Jonah and Berikjesu (327)

They were known in the West as Jonas and Barichisius. These martyrs were among the
victims of the persecution of the Sassanian (Persian) king Shapur II. They were arrested for
encouraging Christians who were in prison and although they were tortured and tricked they
would not give up their faith. Jonah was dismembered and crushed to death in a press and
Barichisius died by having burning pitch poured down his throat. Their deaths occurred in
Persia and they are honoured on 29 March.

If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you
are called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in
his steps. Peter the Apostle (martyred c. 65), 1 Peter 2:20-21

Latvia

Lutheran Pastors (1918-9)

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Church in Bolshevik Russia suffered greatly. In
the spring of 1917 the nations on the west border of Russia began to declare their
independence. Finland led the way, but the Baltic states such as Latvia found breaking away
too difficult, for they had been the scene of many Bolshevik battle-fields.
Under Bolshevik control an organised persecution of the Lutheran church began. During
1918 and 1919 eight Lutheran pastors were martyred in the city of Riga. Twenty-three more
were killed in the countryside.
Fortunately for the Church, the situation stabilised in May 1919 after the rebels and German
volunteer forces drove out the Bolsheviks.

Love your enemies, do good to them…Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of
the most high. Jesus Christ (Luke 6:35)

Wartime Theologian

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1945)

Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian. He stood against Nazi tyranny
and was involved in anti-Nazi activities in wartime Germany. Theologically he justified this
resistance by emphasising Nazism as a symptom of the German Church’s loss of faith. His
actions, however, resulted in his arrest and imprisonment in 1943. He was placed in various
prisons and concentration camps for a period of two years. On 9 April 1945 he was hanged in
Flossenburg concentration camp by the personal order of Heinrich Himmler, commander of
the Nazi SS. As he was being led out to his death he said, “This is the end, for me the
beginning of life.”
Thus he became one of the twentieth-century’s best known Christian martyrs and possibly the
best know martyr of World War II. His significance remains in the way he reminded the
world of the Nazi evil and how he theologically shook his own Church.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Paul the Apostle (d. 64/5),
Philippians 2:5

Swazi News

Swaziland (1900)

In May 1900 a report was sent out of Swaziland to South Africa of the terrible atrocities that
the Christians were facing. At that time the native Swazis, who were pagans, were carrying
out a systematic persecution of the Christians.
One native Christian who lived not far from Ezulwini mission station was murdered by the
Swazis. He pleaded with the attackers to spare his wife and himself. This they refused to do,
so he prayed to God; just as he was finishing the prayer they stabbed him to death.
The missionaries reported that this was a common occurrence and that month after month
Christians in Swaziland were being killed for their faith.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever
you go. Joshua 1:9

Mexican Revolution

Miguel Pro (1927)

The Mexican Revolution that began in 1910 brought about great instability in the country and
caused massive tensions between the Church and President Calles. After spending some time
abroad he returned to Mexico as a priest and became active against the revolution, even
although carrying out clerical duties was illegal. He and his brother were arrested on the
accusation of attempting to blow up the former president. This false accusation was used to
condemn the brothers to death without a trial. The real reason for their arrest was the fact
that they were priests and thus enemies of the regime. In November 1927 Miguel was
executed by a firing squad. Miguel’s last words were “Long live Christ the King!”

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Paul the Apostle (d. 64/5),
Philippians 4:13

John Williams (1839)

Having been a missionary in the Pacific since 1818, John was well qualified to embark upon a
trip to the island of Erromanga in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) in 1839. He was a pioneer
missionary with the London Missionary Society who had planted churches in Tahiti, the
Samoan Islands, Raratonga and numerous other islands. At one point in his career he built a
boat, which he used to travel to new unvisited islands. His stocky physique and godly manner
had made him well known among the Polynesian Islanders. Nevertheless, his attempt to land
on Erromanga did not go the way he had hoped. He did not fulfil his ambition to take the
Christian message to yet another island. On 20 November 1839 he was murdered and eaten
on the beach by the distrustful Islanders. His story inspired many other missionaries to visit
to the New Hebrides and to eventually establish a Church there.

For everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and for the one who has
been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Jesus Christ (Luke 12:48)