Calling All Witnesses
“Therefore I will be brought to trial before you again, says the Lord; and I will be brought to trial before your children's children." (Jeremiah) An excellent activity to introduce our children and teenagers to the lives of the Orthodox Christian Martyrs is through a mock trial. This activity is one they'll never forget! Read together a few examples, like the story of the 40Martyrs of Sebaste, the stoning of St Stephen the first-martyr, or the fierce persecutions initiated by the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, where eyewitnesses describe the trial of a group of Christians in a town in North Africa. Of particular interest in this final example are the testimonies of two Christian martyrs, Saturninus and his son Felix, who defend their participation in readings from Holy Scripture and the Eucharist. (A.D. 304) Assign Characters • Judge (parent or adult) • The Accused • Defense Lawyers • Prosecutors • Witnesses to be called to stand • ...