The Holy Children who were murdered by Herod in Bethlehem; Our Venerable Father Marcellus, Hegumen of the Monastery of the Sleepless Ones (c. 470).
James 2:1-13; Mark 10:23-32.
Read Mark 10:23-32
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Today we commemorate the 14,000 Holy Infants who were killed by King Herod in Bethlehem. After the Son of God was incarnate and born of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Magi came from the East to worship him and pay homage to the new born King. When they left, and were warned by an angel to go home another way instead of going back to Herod, Herod went into a furious rage. He ordered that all male children two and under, in Bethlehem and its surroundings to be killed.
Not only did Herod murder all these children, but enraged at Simeon the Elder—who declared Jesus to be the Saviour in the Temple—would not allow Simeon a proper funeral after his death. Herod also ordered the death of Zachariah, the father of St. John the Forerunner for not giving up the location of his son, who Herod also wanted to kill, but could not find for his parents hid him in the desert. God struck him down with a horrid physical condition which brought about decay to his flesh and worms to eat him while still alive.
The Church proclaims these murdered children as saints because they died innocently and were the first martyrs for Christ. They may not have been baptized in water, but they were baptized in the blood of their martyrdom. Some of the relics of these children are found in Constantinople. In the church of St. James the Brother of the Lord and later in the Pantokrator Monastery on Mount Athos.
May we, through the prayers of the 14,000 innocent children, strive to respect, defend and uphold the life of the innocent, defenceless and weak. The Lord, who was incarnate of the Most Holy Theotokos, sanctifies the womb, infancy and childhood through his life. Our Lord shows that all life is special and from God. Every person created should be respected and aided in their journey towards enlightenment and union with the Living God. If human life did not have precious value in God’s eyes then the Son of God would not have become incarnate, but the Son of God did become incarnate: for God desires that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.