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The term militant (Latin: militans) has a primary meaning of "being a soldier, performing military service", [4] but it acquired a secondary meaning of "serving, performing service, laboring", [5] with its root milito coming to mean "soldier of Christ or God" in Medieval Latin usage. [6]
The military saints, warrior saints and soldier saints are patron saints, martyrs and other saints associated with the military. They were originally composed of the early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of Christians , especially the Diocletianic Persecution of AD 303–313.
J. Denny Weaver, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Bluffton University, suggests that there are numerous evolving views on violence and nonviolence throughout the history of Christian theology. [15] According to the view of many historians, the Constantinian shift turned Christianity from a persecuted into a persecuting religion.
In Philippians 2:25 [1] and Philemon 1:2, [2] Paul describes fellow Christians as "fellow soldiers" (in Greek, συστρατιώτῃ, sustratiōtē). [3] The image of a soldier is also used in 2 Timothy 2:3–4 [ 4 ] as a metaphor for courage, loyalty and dedication; [ 5 ] this is followed by the metaphor of an athlete , emphasising hard work.
The custom of watching by the dead (the wake) is an ancient practice probably derived from the similar Jewish custom of a pious vigil over the remains. Its origins are not entirely known. This was a Christian observance, attended with the chanting of psalms. [3]
In Christianity, a martyr, in accordance with the meaning of the original Greek term martys in the New Testament, is one who brings a testimony, usually written or verbal. In particular, the testimony is that of the Christian Gospel, or more generally, the Word of God. A Christian witness is a biblical witness whether or not death follows. [26]
The main reason for this was that Christianity was seen as a religion of love and peace; therefore war and killing was seen as being in opposition to a Christian life. However, other aspects of army life, such as arresting Christians and taking part in mandatory pagan practices and sacrifices, would also have been at odds with Christianity. [4]
Serbian Orthodox archpriest Vukajlo Božović was a guerilla leader in the Kosovo Vilayet.. Throughout history, armed priests or soldier priests have been recorded. Distinguished from military chaplains, who are non-combatants that provided spiritual guidance to service personnel and associated civilians, these priests took up arms and fought in conflicts as combatants.