Saint John the New Martyr of China

In the year 1900 there lived throughout China several groups of Orthodox missionaries who, with great dedication, worked hard to preach the teachings of Christianity among the diverse population of Taoists, Buddhists and Confucians. They stayed focused on their mission and never allowed themselves to get involved in the worldly cares around them, amidst the Boxer Rebellion of that time.

Despite the fact that these missionaries were peaceful people, the Chinese revolutionaries were intolerant of any foreign ideas and on June 11, 1900, the persecutions of Christians began in the city of Beijing and spread throughout all of China. They destroyed nearly all of the Orthodox churches and demolished years of labors, right down to their libraries.

But this was not enough to bring satisfaction. They went on to kill all of the Orthodox people. The first to be martyred was the family of the first Chinese Orthodox priest, Metrophanes Chi-Sung. His wife, Tatiana, and his son Isaiah (age twenty-three) were killed right in front of him. Then they killed Fr. Metrophanes himself, being stabbed in the chest by a crowd of rebels. Next was Maria, age nineteen, Isaiah’s fiancée, who was trying to help other Christians escape.

Lastly, they showed no mercy as they inflicted the most severe torments upon Fr. Metrophaes’ son, John, who was eight years old. They cut him to pieces, starting with his nose, ears and toes. He remained calm and quiet, looking like an angel in the flesh.

Some of the witnesses pitted him and tried to comfort him. Gazing upon his dying, mutilated body, they asked if he was in great pain. Smiling and looking even more radiant, his sweet lips uttered, “It is not difficult to suffer for Christ”

Shortly thereafter, the Christ which this small child had confessed, welcomed John into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Hundreds of other Chinese Orthodox Christians also met their martyrdom. These were among the first Chinese martyrs to confess and die for Jesus Christ

The church remembers them on June 11th.