The Fourteen Thousand Infant Martyrs Slain by Herod in Bethlehem of Judaea (I)
The fourteen thousand holy infant martyrs were slaughtered by King Herod in Bethlehem.
When the time of the greatest event came, the becoming man of the Son of God and His birth from the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the Magi of the East noticed the appearance in the sky of a new star, foretelling the birth of the King of the Jews, and set out for Jerusalem to worship the newborn. When Herod learned of this, he gathered the chief priests and scribes of the Jews and learned that Christ was to be born “in Bethlehem of Judaea”. Then he summoned the Magi to him too. He questioned them about everything as well and, frightened, resolved to kill the newborn whatever it might cost.
Herod said cunningly to the Magi: “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.” The star-gazers did not return to Jerusalem, and, according to a heavenly revelation, departed into their own country another way. When Herod realised that he would not find the Messiah who had become man, he ordered all the children to be slain “that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under”. The lawless one hoped that among the slaughtered children would be that Infant whom he regarded as his rival. Those who died in this slaughter became the first martyrs for Christ. Herod’s wrath also fell upon Symeon the God-receiver, who had publicly testified in the Temple to the Messiah’s becoming man. When the holy old man died, Herod did not allow him to be buried with fitting honour. By the king’s order the holy Prophet Zacharias was also run through: he was killed at the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem for not revealing the whereabouts of his son John.
Herod’s lawlessness did not go unpunished: by God’s will a terrible disease came upon him, and he gave up the ghost eaten alive by worms. Having become a vessel of the devil, before his death the king added other new and terrible crimes to the list of his sins: he killed the Jewish chief priests and scribes, his own brother and his son-in-law, his wife Mariamne with three sons, and also seventy wise men, members of the Sanhedrin.
