What would you do during the persecution of the Christians?

[sodr2]

Did you know you can be baptized with your blood! 

BTW, when I said b____, it should be replaced with "bit scared," but you're too embarrassed of this, so you're hiding it with the underline. 

[Andrew21091]

I really cannot say. I don't think anyone really can. We have to remember the words of the Gospel, "Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee." (Matt 26:33-35). I would like to say that I will stand firm in the faith and face martyrdom for Christ, but what if I end up denying knowing Christ like St. Peter did? He was so sure of himself that he would die with Christ but he denied him so I can't say for sure.

There is also a story about a delusional monk who walked around thinking he was a saint and was going to die a martyr's death. His abbot seeing this delusion started to beat him and as the monk was being beaten he cried out "Stop! I cannot take it!" The abbot replied, "Whats wrong? You want to be a martyr! I am making you a martyr!" and seeing that he couldn't take the beatings anymore, he repented of his former delusion and lived the rest of his life virtuously.

We can say that we will become a martyr all we want, but what happens when we are face to face with it?

[sodr2]

Let's try to name some saints who chose each option (oh, how fun!):

A: I think I remember hearing how St. Anthony went to Alexandria or something to be persecuted out of his freewill, but they let him go or something. . . .

B:What saint chose option B? Of course some of Jesus' disciples fled from persecution at some point because of what He commanded in Matthew 10:23.
Oh! And I think St. Bishoy fled, hold on...

In 407/408 A.D., as the Berbers invaded the wilderness of Scetes, Bishoy left and dwelt in the mountain of Ansena. At this time he met Saint Paul of Tammah in Antinopolis and the two became very close friends.

C: Demiana's father chose C, but then she told him, "I would of rather heard the news that you were dead than this!" Can you imagine someone saying this to their father? But then he confessed his faith and became a martyr.

D: St. Moses the black! Ah, yes...he knew of the invasion of "the berbers," but he didn't leave, instead, he and his disciples greeted them with open arms and died at their hands:

At about age 75, about the year 405 AD, word came that a group of Berbers planned to attack the monastery. The brothers wanted to defend themselves, but Moses forbade it. He told them to retreat, rather than take up weapons. He and seven others remained behind and greeted the invaders with open arms, but all eight were martyred by the bandits on 24 Paoni (July 1).

E: lol, I think the guy above me...

[sodr2]

BTW I heard my priest say that Pope Kyrillos VI, when he had one of his finger nails growing long til it curved back, had to get surgery. . .but he told the doctor to not use anesthetics (the stuff to make you feel no pain), so he would get a taste of the tortures the saints faced back in those centuries.

[Αριστοκλής]

Can't vote here. I have no idea what I would do in a real situation.

[Dan-Romania]

we can say many things , but we can`t know for sure untill we are up into that situation ; in moments like those , it`s harder than imagine ;

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