The Hymn for Conquering Martyrs raise

The hymn for conquering martyrs raise,
The victor innocents we praise,
Whom in their woe earth cast away,
But Heav’n with joy received today;
Whose angels see the Father’s face
World without end, and hymn His grace;
And while they chant unceasing lays,
The hymn for conquering martyrs raise.

A voice from Ramah was there sent,
A voice of weeping and lament,
When Rachel mourned the children’s care
Whom for the tyrant’s sword she bare.
Triumphal is their glory now,
Whom earthly torments could not bow,
What time, both far and near that went,
A voice from Ramah there was sent.

Fear not, O little flock and blest,
The lion that your life opprest!
To heavenly pastures ever new
The heavenly Shepherd leadeth you;
Who, dwelling now on Zion’s hill,
The Lamb’s dear footsteps follow still;
By tyrant there no more distrest,
Fear not, O little flock and blest.

And every tear is wiped away
By your dear Father’s hands for ay;
Death hath no power to hurt you more,
Whose own is life’s eternal store.
Who sow their seed, and sowing weep,
In everlasting joy shall reap,
What time they shine in heavenly day,
And every tear is wiped away.

O city blest o’er all the earth,
Who gloriest in the Saviour's birth,
Who are His earliest martyrs dear,
By kindred and by triumph here;
None from henceforth may call thee small,
Of rival towns thou passest all:
In whom our Monarch had His birth,
O city blest o’er all the earth!

‘The Venerable’ Bede transl. from Latin by John M. Neale

It seems this week that I’ve been thinking about corporate worship in the context of suffering.  This morning I received an email reflecting on the outbreak of persecution of Christians in Orissa in the latter half of 2008.

Martyr literally means ‘witness’ but has been used through generations in the church of someone who dies for the sake of their witness, their hope, in Jesus. We often think of Martyrdom as something that happened in the past tense – rather than something which is happening.  As I write this (and you read) there are thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ who are socially and economically oppressed, who languish in jail, who are punished, tortured and murdered simply for their hope in Jesus.

The email this morning and the hymn above marry together a sense of not forgetting those whose blood has been shed for the sake of the gospel.  The hymn comes for the late seventh or early eighth century and has no less relevance today.  What follows is a passage to ponder as you read the list of names, a rollcall of honour, to those whose lives were taken in the Orissa persecution of 2008.

[Jesus said] “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.” Luke 12:10-19

ORISSA DISTRICT

24th August
1. Rasananda Pradhan of Rupagaon village
25th August
1. Bikram Naik of Tiangia village
2. Dasaratha Pradhan of Tiangia village
3. Surendra Naik of Tiangia village
4. Jaka Naik of Budamaha village
5. Gapana Nayak of Budamaha village
6. Nanamati Naik of Bakingia village
7. Rajesh Digal of Bataguda village
8. Sunaphulo Nayak of Tiangia village
26th August
1. Akbar Digal of Sulesaru village
2. Gunduri Nayak of Budamaha village
3. Bastina Mantry of Bhalipada village
4. Meri Digal of Barakhama village
5. Nabaghana Nayak of Paderkia village
6. Prafulla Nayak of Badimunda village
7. Sideshwar Digal of Sulesaru village
8. Pastor Samuel Naik(Nayak) of Bakingia village
27th August
1. Pastor Gayadhar Digal of Phiringia village
2. Pastor Dibya Sunder Digal of Sipaeju village
3. Pastor Daniel Nayak of Bakingia village
4. Bidyadhar Digal of Dugabadi village
5. Trinath Digal of Tiangia village
6. Sadananda Pradhan of Telapali village
7. Anthou Digal of Telapali village
8. Parikhita Nayak of Telapali village
9. Kasiben of Raikia burnt to death
10.An Adventist believer of Digi village beheaded
11.Baxi Bandhu of Lumungia village
30th August
1. Romani Naik of Bakingia village; mother of Samuel Naik burnt alive
2. Daniel Naik of Bakingia village
3. Michael Naik of Bakingia village
31th August
1. Baxi Bandhu of Lumungia beheaded
9th September
1. Mathew Naik of Sarangada village
2. Purander Mallick of Nilungia village
20th September
1. Iswar Digal of Gatringia village
30th September
1. Meghanath Digal of Bisipada village
2. Priyatamma Digal of Bisipada village
3rd October
1. Shyam Sunder of Sindhpali village
28th October
1. Father Bernard Digal of Sulesaru village
24th November
1. Leunsio Digal died in Daringabadi Relief Camp
25th November
1. Lalita Digal of Dobali village
16th December
1. Jubraj Digal of Ganjamendi Village
2. Janamati Nayak of Bakingia village
3. Jecob Digal of Petapanga village
4. Kamolini Nayak of Mondakia village
5. 12 year old girl died in a relief camp in K.Nuagaon
6. Romesh Digal of Bakingia village
7. Joseph Digal (Place unknown)
8. Khogeswar Pradhan
9. Pastor Daniel Mallick of Bakingia
10.Mishra Digal of Balliguda
11.Sureshon Nayak

GAJAPATI DISTRICT

26th August
1. Mukunda Burdhan of Mukundapure
2. Kumuda Bardhan of Mukundapure village
3. Unknown person from Parlakhemundi village
2nd December
1. Dhanyavad Lima in Ramgiri Relief Camp
Nawarangpur
25th August
1. Unknown person killed from Papahandi village Nayagarh
31st August
1. Abhimonyu Nayak of Barapalli village Rayagarh
30th August
1. Ramakant of Ramannaguda village
2. Balu of Ramannaguda village