“The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church.” – Tertullian. The sacrifice of these valiant individuals is what allowed the Church to grow and flourish. Their absolute faith in God demonstrated what true love was, something that others desired. With each persecution of a Christian, two more were baptised, building the Kingdom of God.
While learning about the Martyrs, I couldn’t wrap my head around how these people had the fortitude to undergo such anguish and suffer death for their faith. How they were so strong that they were able to forgive those persecuting them, praying that they are shown mercy by God and that they stumble upon His grace.
However, upon further investigation, I realised that they had a true faith in God. Faith is the complete trust and confidence in something. They didn’t doubt God’s existence. These brave Christians had such strong faith in God’s existence and His plan for them that they weren’t afraid of death, as they knew it was ultimately what God wanted for them. The Martyrs celebrated their deaths, as they knew it would bring them closer to God, and they would be walking in the footsteps of their saviour: Jesus Christ. For their fortitude, God rewarded them with eternal truth, eternal beauty, eternal love and eternal salvation: Heaven.
The immense faith of the Martyrs is what defines their pivotal role in the story of Christianity.
Luke P
8 Marin-Kurrang
What was it like in those last moments of these men and women (and children), who laid down their lives for Christ? These Year 8s were there. Here are their accounts of what they saw and heard:
Early Christian Martyrs, 1st century.
Amrei S
8 Barak
The stadium filled with anger and screams as he (Saint Bartholomew) was being pinned onto a tree. I watched as the sword entered the skin of the arm. Blood was everywhere and he was screaming in pain. It felt so good seeing the people I hate disappear from the world. The sword started ripping the skin slowly so he (St. Bartholomew) could feel the pain he deserves. The whole stadium was cheering and shouting “Get him!” “Get what you deserve!” The sword had reached the chest moving a centimetre a second. Something strange was happening, I could see him muttering some words which ever so slightly was getting louder and louder as he was pointing his head towards the clouds. This muttering of words continued for a minute like he was saying some kind of prayer. By now the sword had finally skinned the torso and was making its way to the left arm. I felt disappointed by the fact that he wasn’t screaming in pain anymore. I could see the pile of skin being fed to the animals. The sword had now skinned all of the arms and legs and finally, his mouth stopped muttering and his head fell onto the ground. The crowd was cheering louder than ever before. He (Saint Bartholomew) had passed.
St Bartholomew, skinned alive, 1st century.
Heinrich Ernacio
8 Barak
St Peter, crucified upside down, ~64-68 AD.
Jayla C
8 Marin-Kurrang
As St Peter cried in agony, he still worshiped the Lord: “Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” As St Peter continued praying the Rosary, nails were bashed into his hand as blood squirted and seeped out, he was on the cross just as the Romans said he would. Peter requested he would not die the same way as the Lord, as he was no match for the Lord. They flipped him over as he continued to whimper, now blood from his feet trickled down his legs, passed his chest and dripped off of St Peter's head into a bowl which was placed in order to clean up his mess. As the Romans talked and cackled, St Peter faded into the light where he saw the Lord once again.
St Peter, crucified upside down, ~64-68 AD.
Damian C
8 Lingiari
St Peter Chanel, clubbed to death, 1841.
Aana K
8 Marin-Kurrang
St Maria Goretti, 11 year-old virgin and martyr, 1902.
Wyzobelle M
8 Lingiari