The Life of Saint Barbara the Great Martyr Retold for Children

Who are martyrs? Anyone would say — they are those who suffer. A difficult homework assignment can become torment, sports records are achieved through long grueling training. But there is another kind — holy martyrdom. For their faith and love for Christ, martyrs endured brutal suffering and even death. Holy martyrs bore their sufferings with great firmness, and this strengthened Christians in faith and inspired new confessors of Christianity. According to early Christian writer Tertullian, the blood of Christians was the seed from which faith grew. Orthodox Christians remember the holy martyrs, are inspired by their example of fervent faith, and name their children after them. Our story will be about one of the martyrs — Barbara. Approved for distribution by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church IS R14-415-1435