Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum – On Martyrdom
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Holy Fifteen Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis (Strumica)
The activation or actualization of the grace of Baptism in our spiritual heart usually occurs in two ways: either by the act of Baptism itself or a long (large)period of time thereafter. There are also other extraordinary ways.
The activation of grace by the act of Holy Baptism itself took place regularly in the early (first) Church: when people were baptized as adults and, at that time there was a three-year preparation before Baptism. During the preparation, the catechumens were taught to purify their hearts from the passions and they truly purified their hearts from the passions, so that, in the end, they truly saw the Sacrament of Baptism as enlightenment (of the mind) and, of course, their hearts were open to a prayerful descent of the mind into it. But let us not overlook the fact, that even more important than the preparation for Baptism at that time was the open persecution of Christians, when everyone who was baptized was aware that he was likely to suffer even unto execution.
The activation of grace after a long period of time after Baptism usually occurs nowadays, when people are baptised as infants, without any preparation or awareness of it. Therefore, long time after the infant has grown into a man, and as soon as he will understand, and repent, there is still a struggle to be faced before he can activate the grace; a struggle in which man, under the guidance of the spiritual father – in obedience, should sufficiently purify the heart from his debauched passions, so that the grace of Baptism may be made manifest in (from) him. Grace then draws everything to itself, above all the mind of one whose heart is open.
It is this personal activation and adoption of the uncreated grace of God that the Lord calls birth from above (see John 3: 3), and not so much the act of Baptism itself.
If we look at the situation today and ask ourselves where this activation of the grace of Baptism is most noticeable, we will notice that it is realised, in most cases, in the life of the monks. Just as it happened from the beginning of the emergence of monasticism – martyrdom of conscience. If we look a little before that, towards the first Church, we will notice that this activation of grace occurred to a much greater degree in the holy martyrs – in blood. And now the key question arises: Exactly way does this occur the most in these two groups of ascetics? What do these two groups have in common? What is it that essentially connects them?
They are connected with the fulfilment of the vows of Holy Baptism, i.e. the renunciation of satan and all his deeds, words and thoughts, that is, connects them the extreme renunciation of this world, even unto death. The freedom from comfort connects them. Anonymity and hidden asceticism also connects them. In a word, it is the martyrdom ethos that connects them. And that is why monasticism appears after the persecution of the Church has stopped. Monasticism, as well as the spiritual life in general, is martyrdom today, because modern man is so connected or captured, that is, he closely identifies himself with his passions and therefore he is so sick, that his healing requires a great, long and painful endeavour – equal to martyrdom.
The martyrdom of conscience, i.e. monasticism, as well as the Orthodox spiritual life in general, is a spiritual endeavour whose truthfulness and correctness can be and should be checked according to the fruits it brings.
He who suffers martyrdom at the first stage – purification of the heart from the passions, in the inner struggle with his not-transfigured passions and the demons associated with them, will acquire the fruit of the gift of God of the ascetic prayer of the mind in the heart.
And he who undergoes martyrdom at the second stage – enlightenment of the mind, amongst the external attack by men – servants of the demons, will acquire the fruit of the gift of God of unceasing prayer of the mind in the heart and seeing the divine light.
Naturally, one who does not harmonise his way of life and struggle with the level of spiritual development at which he finds himself, will neither see the fruits of the Holy Spirit, nor can he be considered a martyr. “But if any man fights, yet he receives not a crown, because he hath not fought according to the rules” (2 Tim. 2: 5).
For example, if someone claims to be a martyr because demons or people are persecuting him and he does not have the appropriate gifts of the Holy Spirit – such as the prayer of the mind in the heart – it is better for such a person to ask himself what kind of a reckless move or illegal act he has done for something like that to happen to him, rather than for him to nurture such a thought (as to being a martyr), and, amongst his followers.
Why do we often speak in specific rather than general spiritual categories? Because if we speak only of love, joy, peace, patience, prayer, humility, silence, meekness or veneration, monasticism or martyrdom, without all these general categories being checked and confirmed with the seal of the prayer of the mind in the heart as a specifically verifiable category, we are just wide opening wide, the doors to delusion.
Unfortunately, delusion hinders repentance. That is why most Christians remain, at best, at the first stage of spiritual development almost to the end of their lives, without feeling the comfort, joy, peace and the light of the prayer of the mind in the heart.
The experience of the Church throughout history has seen that the true act of martyrdom always inspires and kindles the fire of faith, irresistibly attracting many other people to the same suffering for the sake of Christ many other people, both eyewitnesses and those that hear, and sometimes the tormentors themselves. Just as false endeavour or imitation repels them and has no power to cause an inner spiritual transfiguration in those who come in contact with it.
And all the hagiographies of the holy martyrs in blood, basically testify to what we can illustrate through the hagiography of any of them: that in order not to renounce Christ and to confess the name of the Lord, the martyr who is tormented by the persecutor of some other faith, with full consciousness renounces himself, preferring even bodily death only so as not to lose, but to perfect his oneness with the Lord. In return, from the moment he makes the choice and decides to suffer for the sake of Christ, the martyr is given the extraordinary gifts of grace inherent in the highest spiritual stage of deification. That grace helps him to complete the superhuman struggle and to bear witness to the name of the Lord boldly and unwaveringly.
In the hagiographies of the holy martyrs we can clearly see the reality of the extreme renunciation of the world, as well as the speed of receiving and the magnitude of God’s gifts of deification with which the confessor of the name of Christ is acquired: unceasing prayer in times of suffering, love, even towards tormentors, spiritual body, seeing the uncreated light of God, the gift of the knowledge of God, the gift of miracle-working, etc.
Moreover, the lives of the holy Fifteen Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis, as well as the lives of all the holy martyrs, are basically silent testimonies of the extreme renunciation of this world, which constantly awake the dormant Christian conscience through the centuries.
The struggle of Christianity in this world is inseparably and essentially connected with the struggle of martyrdom. In fact, it is one and the same struggle. If we already call ourselves Christians in this world, we can be that only as martyrs.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us!
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
11/12/2021
