Both martyrs and terrorists sacrifice themselves. Both may indeed die for what they believe in, but there is a profound and fundamental difference between them.
The martyrs of our Church sacrifice themselves for the true God, Jesus Christ, who suffered, was buried, and rose from the dead. This is of immense significance, and it is this truth that gives their martyrdom its meaning and value.
There is also another aspect, equally important and truly distinctive. Terrorists die while killing innocent people; they die with hatred for their fellow human beings in their hearts. In contrast, the martyrs of Christ die loving others. Whom do they love? Not their benefactors, but their executioners—those who imprison them, torture them, and cut off their hands and feet. And when do they love them? At the very moment when they are suffering terribly, groaning in unbearable pain. At that dreadful hour, they love their executioners with all their hearts and minds. This same spirit is found throughout the Christian tradition of martyrdom.
An example is the first Christian martyr, the Deacon Stephen. At the very moment when he was being stoned, while his body was being shattered by the stones and he was enduring horrific suffering, he did not merely pray for his executioners. Rather—and this is remarkable—he had the courage to kneel down so that he might offer his prayer to the Lord with even greater earnestness. Nor did he simply say, “Forgive them.” Instead, he cried out with a loud voice:
“He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin’” (Acts 7:60).
The third-century hieromartyr Saint Charalambos was being flayed alive by his executioners and was suffering terrible pain. Yet even at that moment, he called his torturers “brothers” and thanked them because, by tormenting his body, they were helping his soul to enter the Kingdom of God.
Two of his executioners, Porphyrios and Baptos, were so deeply moved by Saint Charalambos’ virtuous courage while he was being tortured that they, too, came to believe in Christ and were martyred for His sake. (Great Synaxarion of the Orthodox Church, Vol. 2, Life of Saint Charalambos)
Therefore, the remarkable thing is not merely that the holy martyrs of Christ endured such terrible suffering, but that they loved their enemies and executioners even at the very moment of their martyrdom. Such love surpasses ordinary human strength.
And how did this happen?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5).
Because the martyrs bear witness to Christ, they are united with Him, and the foremost fruit of His indwelling presence is perfect love.
Such wonders—such miracles as loving one’s enemy, especially one’s executioner—occur only in Christianity, because at the heart of Christianity stands incarnate Love—Jesus Christ Himself. Apart from Christ, apart from Love, such things are impossible:
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).
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