Dear in Christ,

 

Today is the feast day of the Chinese Martyrs of the Boxer Rebellion according to the Old Calendar (June 11/24).  What makes the Chinese martyrs so very special to the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii is that there are many with Chinese and Asian ancestry (myself included) in our community.   It was also the name day of one of the members of the Orthodox in Hawaii Yahoogroup list, Ia, who is a parish member of Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu.   Several years ago the local Greek Orthodox community celebrated the memory of the Chinese Martyrs, they too have several Orthodox with Asian ancestry.

 

Last night in the Russian Church, three icons of the Chinese martyrs were placed upon the Analogia, while the church was covered in green.  In the Russian Church we are now deep within the Apostle's Fast, so green according to custom is the ecclesiastical color used at this time.   Father Anatole Lyovin and a small Kliros choir sang the Akathist Hymn to the Chinese Martyrs.  Obikhod, Znammeny and Carpatho-Russian melodies were used by the choir. 

 

After the service everyone related how incredible the Akathist Hymn was, like a beautiful poem.  Most moving were the Stikh (refrains) dedicated to the young (seven year-old) martyr St. John as well as to St. Mitrophan the Martyred priest of the Russian Ecclesiastical mission in Beijing.  

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Chinese Martyrs of the Boxer Rebellion please click on this link below: http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/martyrs/nmchina4.html

 

May their lives be for us a guide to the Path of Righteousness in Christ!

 

 

With Love in Christ-GOD,

Rdr. Nectarios Yangson, a terrible sinner.

Thy holy martyrs, O Lord did not see earthly glory as a treasure to be held, *  but facing the torments of men and the wisdom of demons *  humbled themselves for Thy sake, even unto death.  *  Wherefore O Righteous Father, *  as through them Thou brought the priceless pearl to an unbaptized land, * grant us Thy Spirit and great mercy for our souls.