“Is Christianity in trouble? Is it in danger of becoming extinct? I don’t believe so…” (1)
“The gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18)
“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9)
“And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (Revelation 6:11)
† New Martyr Evgeny Rodionov of Chechnya (May 23) http://facingislam.blogspot.gr/2013/05/new-martyr-evgeny-rodionov-of-chechnya.html
Without specifically mentioning Islam, over a millennium of Muslim persecution of Christians, the genocide against Christians today, or the theological jihad of the tawhidists, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, in less than 350 words, conveys the depth of the mystery, paradox and irony of the Incarnation:
[The Word of God] sees a world in bondage to the forces of evil and He submits Himself to that evil in order to destroy it forever.
It is because Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word and Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, voluntarily “submits” (the meaning of the word, “Islam”) Himself to the forces of evil, that His extreme humility, His kenotic sacrifice, destroys that evil forever.
This is why the forces of Islam “rage against the Lord and against His Christ” (cf. Psalm 2), for they know that they have been defeated by Him Who is pure, holy, humble, and meek, Who becomes man and sacrifices Himself to restore all mankind to the Father.
Through His meekness, the proud are humbled.
Through His submission, those who try to force submission from others are overthrown.
Through His forgiveness from the Cross, even His persecutors can be converted and inherit the Kingdom!
We shall have to endure much to enter the Kingdom, but as His Beatitude and Bishop Paul remind us, Christ has already won the victory through His Incarnation, His sufferings, His crucifixion, and His Resurrection. Let us walk as Children of Light, and confess Him faithfully, so that we shall not be ashamed at His Second and Glorious Coming! (2)
21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya http://facingislam.blogspot.gr/search/label/Coptic%20Martyrs
Christian couple lynched for blasphemy: the police accused of negligence http://facingislam.blogspot.gr/2015/10/pakistani-new-martyrs-shahzad-and-shama.htm
“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’”(Revelation 12:7-12)
New-Martyr Mary the Copt
Killed by a Muslim Mob who saw the Cross hanging from her rearview mirror.http://facingislam.blogspot.gr/2015/07/new-martyr-mary-copt.html
New Martyr Helen the Accountant
†March 15, 2013
Killed by her Muslim husband for converting to Christ.
New Martyr Fr. Ragheed Ganni of Iraq,
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 