News report from Mission Network News, July 29, 2009.

Another Christian behind bars for his faith died while in the Mitire Military Confinement Camp in Eritrea. 43-year-old Yemane Kahasay Andom died six days ago and reportedly is secretly buried in the camp.

Jerry Dykstra with Open Doors USA reports, “He was suffering from a severe case of malaria. He allegedly was further weakened by continuous physical torture he received while in solitary confinement in an underground cell for the last two weeks” for refusing to sign a recantation form.

A disgrace
Andom is the third known Christian to die this year at this camp, located in northeastern Eritrea, and the ninth in Eritrean detention centers. He was hunted down in the government’s effort to stamp out a growing church. “Many of these Christians who have been imprisoned for their faith (we put it at 2800) have refused to recant their faith in Jesus Christ, and that is a tremendous witness.”

“What is happening regarding the persecution of evangelicals in this small country in eastern Africa is a disgrace,” says Open Doors USA President/CEO Carl Moeller. “There is no legal recourse for those Christians who have been tossed into prison camps. Many of them face torture and death, as with Andom and others. Many of them continue to keep their faith under tremendous pressure. Please join me in prayer for those still in prison camps.”

Worse, Christians in Eritrea have reported that the government has taken a turn in their tactics to suppress the evangelical faith in the country.

Open Doors released new information found in a letter smuggled out of a place of detention. In it, incarcerated Christians say interrogators are trying to force Christian prisoners to admit that their churches have been participating in work for the CIA on behalf of the United States government.

Christians in Eritrea explain that if the imprisoned believers give in to this pressure, they may be forced to testify against their church associations in a military court. A guilty verdict in this court could have severe implications for the church associations.

Although the government has legalized worship inside the Lutheran, Catholic and Orthodox churches, there have been instances of persecution against followers from all three groups.

Dykstra urges solidarity with these believers. “Pray for them that they may stand strong in their faith. Wherever Christians are imprisoned or under persecution, Open Doors is there to support them.”

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

The apostle Peter, along with many other Christians, was condemned to death and crucified. Some say this happened in Rome, although others have good reason to doubt this.

When Hegesippus told Peter’s supporters that Nero was after a reason to put Peter to death, they pressed him to leave the city in a hurry. He was eventually persuaded by their insistence, and as he was leaving the city gate Jesus Christ came to meet him.

“Why have you come?” Peter asked Jesus. “I’ve come to be crucified again,” Jesus replied. Peter then understood how he was to suffer and die, and he returned to the city.

Jerome says that Peter was crucified upside down at his own request, because he thought himself unworthy to die the same way as Jesus.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

Mark was the son of Jewish parents – Levites. The story goes that he was converted to Christianity by Peter whom he served after his conversion as a transcriber. Mark wrote his gospel, in Greek, under Peter’s oversight.

During a feast for their idol Serapis, the merciless people of Alexandria killed Mark by literally dragging him to pieces.

Video review: Christian Martyrs, by Randall Niles.

Randall Niles examines the history of Christian martyrs as evidence for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Any skeptic who holds to a notion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a man-made legend created after-the-fact by a group of religious zealots, should sincerely check out the legacy of Christian persecution and martyrdom.

“Eleven of the 12 apostles, and many of the other early disciples, died for their adherence to this story,” Niles says. “This is so spectacular, since they all witnessed the alleged events surrounding Jesus and his resurrection, and still went to their deaths defending them.

“Why is this spectacular, when many throughout history have died martyred deaths for a religious belief? Because people don’t die for a lie. Look at human nature throughout history. No conspiracy can be maintained when life or liberty is at stake. Dying for a belief is one thing, but numerous eye-witnesses dying for a known lie is quite another.”

Video by: Randall Niles | Language: English | Running time: 3:10 | Produced by: Randall Niles September 10, 2008 | Speaker/s: Randall Niles

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

Andrew, Peter’s brother, preached the good news throughout Asia. On his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. From then on this type of cross has been called a St. Andrew’s cross.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

One of the least known disciples, Matthias was chosen in place of Judas. It was in Jerusalem that he was first stoned and then beheaded.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

Some people believe James the Less to be a brother of Jesus by a former wife of Joseph. Others think this gives too much credibility to the Catholic notion that Mary never had any other children except our Savior.

James was the elected overseer of the churches at Jerusalem, and was the author of the letter named after him in the Bible. He was 94 when he was martyred: Beaten and stoned by the Jews, and in the end died when his brains were dashed out with a fuller’s club.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

Matthew, a tax collector, was born in Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was later translated into Greek by James the Less.

He worked to advance the gospel in Parthia and Ethiopia. It was there, in the city of Nadabah in 60 AD, that Matthew was martyred. He was killed with an axe-headed spear.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

The first to be called a disciple, Philip was born in Bethsaida, in Galilee. He steadily perservered for the gospel in Upper Asia, and was killed for its sake in Heliopolis, in Phrygia.

Philip was whipped, imprisoned, and afterwards crucified. This happened in 54 AD.

From Fox’s Book of Martyrs: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions under Nero

It was not for ten years after Stephen’s death that the next martyrdom took place: James, at the hands of Herod Agrippa.

James was Zebedee’s son, John’s brother, and a relative of Jesus. (James’ mother Salome was Mary’s cousin.)

In order to gain favor with the Judeans soon after he was appointed their governor, Herod began a harsh persecution of the Christians there. His strategy was to strike at their leaders.

An account of these events by Clemens Alexandrinus, an important writer at the time, gives us more details. As James was led away to his death he displayed such great courage that one of his accusers was moved to repentance. Falling down at James’ feet he requested his pardon and, professing himself a Christian, decided that James should not receive the martyr’s crown alone.

So both were beheaded that day; James, with cheer and determination, becoming the first apostolic martyr, drinking from the cup he told Jesus he would.

Timon and Parmenas were also martyred about that time, one at Philippi and the other at Macedonia.

These events took place in 44 AD.