Veneration of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church should not only preserve the memory of those who suffered persecution, but also help Orthodox Christians strengthen their unity and live according to their faith, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), said in a message.

The message marks the 45th anniversary of the glorification of the New Martyrs and Confessors by the Russian Church Abroad in 1981. Metropolitan Nicholas said their witness shows that even the harshest persecution cannot destroy the Church, which is founded on faith in Christ.

“The veneration of the New Martyrs and Confessors has helped bring about the actual restoration of the fullness of fraternal communion within the entire Russian Orthodox Church,” he said.

According to the First Hierarch, the memory of those who suffered for their faith has become a shared spiritual inheritance of the Russian Church, particularly since communion was restored between the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR in 2007.

Metropolitan Nicholas urged believers to treat the example of the New Martyrs not only as a testimony to history, but as a guide for their own lives: remaining faithful to Christ, showing love for their neighbors and seeking peace among Orthodox Christians.

The New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church are Orthodox Christians who suffered for their faith during periods of persecution, especially after the 1917 Revolution. They include clergy, monastics, laypeople and members of the imperial family. Some were executed or died in captivity; others faced persecution but did not renounce their religious convictions.

In 1981, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia became the first to glorify a large council of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Soviet period. The solemn service was held at the Cathedral of the Sign in New York. Preparations for the glorification included many years of collecting information about those who suffered for their faith.

In 2000, the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow canonized the New Martyrs and Confessors of the 20th century for veneration throughout the Church. This was an important step in restoring the historical memory of the persecution of the Church and in rebuilding church unity.

Metropolitan Nicholas said the saints’ example should inspire modern Christians to show courage, remain faithful to church tradition and practice sacrificial love. He also called on believers to pray for peace, harmony and unity within the Russian Church and among its faithful, wherever they live.