martyrs
Believers who perish
Martyrs is the plural of martyr—people who suffer death or persecution for a belief, cause, or faith.
Religious martyrs die rather than renounce their beliefs: The early Christian martyrs were fed to lions.
The word extends to anyone who sacrifices greatly for a principle.
Someone who makes a martyr of themselves dramatizes their own suffering for sympathy: Stop being such a martyr about doing the dishes.
Canonized religious figures
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
- canonizationOfficial declaration of sainthood
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
- venerationProfound admiring respect
shrine · pilgrimage · hagiography · blessed · intercession · sanctity · devotion · piety
Vigorous cause champion
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
- revolutionarySeeking fundamental systemic change
- prisoner of conscienceJailed for beliefs, not crimes
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
regime · oppression · cause · movement · ideology · execution · imprisonment · exile
Prioritizing others over oneself
- immolationSacrificial killing, often burning
- self-immolationSuicide by fire
- ultimate sacrificeDying for a cause
- laying down lifeDying to save others
death · offering · renunciation · altruism · dedication · conviction · principle · testament
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- executionCompleting a planned task
- crucifixionExecution by cross
burning · stoning · beheading · inquisition · pogrom · purge · crackdown · repression
Courage in danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- braveryBoldness before danger
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- defenderOne who guards another
fallen · honored · memorial · tribute · gallantry · steadfast · resolute · fearless
Thing preserving remembrance
- monumentStructure honoring someone remembered
- remembranceAct of holding something in mind
- tributeOffering of respect
- anniversaryRecurring memorial date
vigil · shrine · legacy · honor · ceremony · procession · mourning · grief
saints
Canonized religious figures
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
- canonizationOfficial declaration of sainthood
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
veneration · shrine · pilgrimage · hagiography · blessed · intercession · sanctity · devotion · piety · holiness
activist
Vigorous cause champion
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
- revolutionarySeeking fundamental systemic change
- prisoner of conscienceJailed for beliefs, not crimes
persecution · regime · oppression · cause · movement · ideology · execution · imprisonment · exile · assassination
selflessness
Prioritizing others over oneself
- immolationSacrificial killing, often burning
- self-immolationSuicide by fire
- ultimate sacrificeDying for a cause
laying down life · death · offering · renunciation · altruism · dedication · conviction · principle · testament · witness
oppression
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- executionCompleting a planned task
crucifixion · burning · stoning · beheading · inquisition · pogrom · purge · crackdown · repression · imprisonment
valor
Courage in danger
defender · fallen · honored · memorial · tribute · gallantry · steadfast · resolute · fearless · undaunted
memorial
Thing preserving remembrance
- monumentStructure honoring someone remembered
- remembranceAct of holding something in mind
- tributeOffering of respect
anniversary · vigil · shrine · legacy · honor · ceremony · procession · mourning · grief · fallen
- Medieval Womenabbess, noblewoman, lady, queen, duchess
- Orthodox saintsSaint Nicholas, Saint George, Saint Basil, Saint Peter, Saint Paul
- notable peoplepoliticians, artists, leaders, writers, scientists
- Early Christiansapostles, disciples, apostle, disciple, Paul
- holy peoplesaint, saints, prophet, holy men, holy women
- martyrdomStephen, Saint Stephen, Ignatius, Saint Ignatius, Felicity
martyrspersecutors
Those who cruelly harass
oppressors · executioners · inquisitors · tormentors · torturers
martyrspersecutors
Those who cruelly harass
torturers · executioners · oppressors · victimizers · aggressors
- martyr complexSelf-perception as perpetual sufferer
- Christian martyrBeliever killed for faith
- political martyrOne slain for ideology
- Catholic martyrOne killed for Catholicism
- martyr's shrinePlace honoring religious dead
- Christian martyrdomDeath for religious faith