Questions & Answers

Martyrs/Martyrdom

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › St. Mary and the Saints › Martyrs/Martyrdom

The question

Is the Christian martyr the one who shed his blood willingly in the name of Christ and because of his/her faith, or unwillingly?

The answer

We can use the example of the martyred children of Bethlehem. Their innocent lives were required for Christ's sake, and thus, He rewarded them and counted them amongst His martyrs.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

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Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1659 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.