What is Green Martyrdom?

What is Green Martyrdom?

From the Celtic understanding, adopted through out Christian lands, there are three types of martyrdom:
  • Red Martyrdom - those who die for the sake of the faith.
  • White Martyrdom - those who leave behind all possessions, titles, and relationships for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This includes hermits, anchorites, and most monastics.
  • Green Martyrdom - Living the ascetic life in the place and position where God placed you. It "...consists in this, that by means of fasting and labour he frees himself from his evil desires, or suffers toil in penance and repentance."
To read more - look at this article and this one.

I hope while you read through the blog that your misconception of "being a martyr" is transformed. What is often thought of martyr is one who surrenders to a difficult task unwillingly or begrudgingly. The woman who does "too much" without asking for help. You know the type. They'd rather suffer in silence as a badge of doing "good" when all they do is feed their ego.

Green martyrdom is dwelling carefully in God's creation. I am learning how to do that in my urban Virginia, USA, location.

1 comment:

  1. Actually there is a bit of a cover-up going on here by the Church (Roman, Anglican, and Orthodox). Green Martyrs practiced syneisactism. The definition given in this blog of Green Martyr is not very different from that of the White Martyr. However, syneisactism created quite a stir causing Patrick to denounce it in his Penitentials (Canon 9) as did Finnian as well (Canon 15).

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