The Orthodox Christian goal is to imitate God and live a life of sanctification. The Confessor wrote that Saints reached theosis, or total union with God, by avoiding sin and striving to live according to God’s created nature. Saints also fought the good fight, displaying scriptural virtues, and applying the teachings of the Gospel to their lives.
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Orthodox saints
There are countless stories about how orthodox saints have helped the world. While each saint had a unique calling and characteristic, they all shared one common trait: they all fought the good fight for the faith and applied scriptural virtues to their lives. That holiness and virtue is what kept the world from perishing and catastrophe.
The Orthodox Church recognizes the role of angels in the world and believes that God created them before he created the world. This being the case, angels are also immortal by the grace of God and serve as examples to follow. Their role is to glorify God and to help the world succeed in the way of righteousness.
A great example is St. Theophan the Recluse, an Orthodox monk who was the editor of the Rudder, the collection of canons of the Orthodox Church. Today, this collection of canons has an English translation with the comments of his translator. It has become one of the most popular books in the world.
The early Christian period is full of moving accounts of the lives of saints. These accounts are known as synaxaria, which come from the Greek word synaxis, which means a meeting in a church for liturgical purposes. In the eighteenth century, St. Nicodemos of Holy Mountain and Fr. George Poulos wrote synaxaria of the saints, and later, in English, Dr. Constantine Cavarnos translated their synaxaria into English.
The Holy Trinity is a common theme in Christian history. The Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, is honoured by the Orthodox Church, and is the subject of several hymns. Her image is traditionally painted over the sanctuary, and is described as being “more spacious than the heavens.”
Orthodox martyrs
The lives of orthodox martyrs are a powerful example of the power of the Holy Spirit. These men and women have been sacrificed for the love of Christ and the Gospel. These men and women are the living, breathing witnesses of the faith, and God can count their number. These martyrs include the Apostles, kings, captains, soldiers, bishops, priests, deacons, monks, and children.
Today, Christians are being killed and persecuted all over the world for their faith. For centuries, the blood of martyrs has served as the “seed” of the Church. As early Christians were stoned to death by a mob, their blood has served to nourish the faith of Christian communities around the world.
This holy martyrs were willing to suffer for their faith and help the world. Many of these men were betrayed by the powerful members of their community and killed for their faith. Many were also persecuted during the Pentecost festival, including St. Makarous and St. Theodorous. They refused to sign an Arian decree and were beheaded. However, despite their suffering, their sacrifices boosted the patriotic spirit of the Greek nation.
The stories of these orthodox martyrs are moving and inspiring. They show us that the Christian faith is a powerful force that can change the world. While the “average Christian” may have little political power, he or she can still be a hero and help the world. The attitude of Christ’s early followers must be emulated by us. As Christians, we can pray for a world free from persecution. And we should follow the footsteps of the martyrs.
Some orthodox martyrs suffered mental and physical torture. Among them was the martyr Juliet. This woman refused to offer incense to pagan gods. As a result, she was sentenced to be burned by the ruler. Her martyrdom helped inspire other women to follow Christ. The suffering suffered by our orthodox martyrs was immense. Many of them were chained behind their backs and their feet fastened to stocks. Many of them would spend months or even years in this painful state.
