The East Asian Martyrs

The Orthodox Martyrs of Beijing 

(Ancient Church of the West)

Today, June 11th, we also celebrate the Chinese Christian Martyrs, who glorified God in their lives and who were faithful in death. The martyrs suffered and died in June of 1900, swept up in the violence of the Boxer Rebellion against foreigners, which resulted in over 10,000 foreigners dying in the course of a year’s time. Most of the foreign hospitals, universities, mission stations and schools were destroyed during this time, only being rebuilt after the League of Nations forced the Chinese Empire to pay for their reconstruction. As a political movement, many blame this popular upraising for the final destruction of the Qing Dynasty, ending 300 years of Manchu ethnic power. During this time, many Chinese Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox converts died, choosing to follow Christ and refusing to worship false idols, but there was never an official tally of the deaths, and so the number stands anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000. This tragic moment in history came to represent all of the other times when Chinese Christians have died for their faith, and the icon of the Beijing Martyrs represents the myriad of Saints who stand before the Throne of Christ in Heaven! We pray Christ will hear the cries of His precious martyrs before His Throne for the conversion of East Asia to the Holy Orthodox Faith! 

Hymn of the Chinese Martyrs

When you renounced your false ancestral errors all, you came to know that Christ is God and Lord of all.

When you courageously proclaimed that He is the only Savior, 

you endured the suffering and the tortures as if you were bodiless,

and you received from His hand the unfading crown. 

And now you intercede for all of China to see the light of knowledge, O Martyr Saints.

In recent times you imitated the martyrs of former times in your victorious contests, O blessed Saints, for you competed valiantly for Christ. Watering the holy Church of the great land of China with your blood, you have received a crown from Lord’s hand. As you are standing near Him in the heights, commemorate us who honor your martyrdom.

Sweet is the death of Martyrs and full of gladness; for the abuse and tortures endured for Christ bring an abundance of honor. Therefore the great multitude of Chinese martyrs has brought spiritual joy to the entire Church today, as she marvels at their courage and steadfastness of mind, and also their indomitable confession of faith, by which they glorified Jesus the giver of the crowns, after being killed in various ways. We who love martyrs dutifully celebrate them and in faith cry out to them: “Athletes of the Lord, worthy of God, as you are standing near Him in the heights, commemorate us who honor your martyrdom.

A Chinese Painting of All the Christian Martyrs of the Last Two Hundred Years