VIDEO: Preparing for Martyrdom in our Apocalyptic Times, by Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos

"The work of the Church is not exclusively to battle with heretics [and heresies - like Islam, and those who say Muslims worship the same True God as we do], but also to train the faithful so that at the appropriate moment they might become confessors of Christ and martyrs out of their love for Him..."

See also: Perfected by the Sword - The Way of Martyrdom in Our Times, by Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos





Posted to YouTube by Nicodemos Hagiorite

'Perfected by the Sword' - The Way of Martyrdom in Our Times: Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

"The Church today must prepare her children and those who love Christ and His salvation for martyrdom, to become martyrs for Christ. Theology, missions and social work outside of the feel and view of martyrdom has no particular value. The great Elders during the time of the Turkish occupation were “coaches” of the martyrs. This is what the great Elders are doing also today." 

— Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos 

"The way of the Church is the way of sacrifice and martyrdom – this has been so since the foundation of the Church and it remains true for us today... We cannot begin to speak about how to expand the mission, if we do not begin with the reality of martyrdom, which is the only authentic foundation for our Apostolic work... We are here, in North America, called to be apostles and martyrs for Christ." 

— Metropolitan Tikhon of the OCA, (Source)

Holiness and Martyrdom in Our Times:
An Interview with Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

Pravmir — September 9, 2015

Holiness, asceticism, discernment and martyrdom are great riches of our Church that move us, attract us, transform us and save us from the distractions and lies of this world in every era. In an interview with His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou, he gives answers to the questions of a journalist (George Theoharis from /Agioritikovima.gr/) on these issues, and speaks of other aspects of ecclesiastical life...

– In many parts of the world today we see that Orthodoxy is persecuted. Where do you think our enemies will reach?

– You are absolutely right. Wherever an Orthodox Church exists it accepts temptations and persecutions. It is an undeviating law. We see this wherever an Orthodox Church exists – North, South, East and West. The only thing different is the method of persecution in each country. Sometimes it is obvious and aggressive and reminiscent of the ancient times of early Christianity, and sometimes it is insidious and more dangerous, such as secularization, that is, the intermingling with the world.

The Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ, it is the brilliant sun that causes and invites pain to those whose eyes are unhealthy and have vision problems. And where the sun is there is also a shadow, and in the shadow is darkness, where many bloodthirsty beasts circulate.

When people hate Christ, the Truth, the Orthodox Church, they have internal problems and can reach unfathomable places, to the point of madness. I saw on the internet a frightening scene of the beheading of a Christian by a fanatical Muslim and I was shocked. I thought how this was the way the Apostles and Martyrs were martyred, such as when the Synaxarion says “they were perfected by the sword”. 

And this is a test for us who love to have a good time, who compromise, who seek prosperity. Hence, persecutions show the internal illnesses of the persecutors, as well as the greatness of Christians. The measure of our love for Christ is very high. Holiness and faithfulness to the evangelical commandments are not given with the low criteria of ethical and social works, but they must have high standards.