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Our father among the saints [[saint]]s '''Martin the [[Confessor]]''', [[Pope]] of Rome, was a valiant defender of the [[Church of Rome|Roman Church]] who suffered greatly in order to preserve the divinity of [[Christ]] against the [[Monothelitism|Monothelite]] [[heresy]] during the 7th seventh century. He was the last Pope of Rome to be [[martyr]]ed. He is widely [[veneration|venerated]] in the East on [[April 13]] ([[GOARCH]]) or [[April 14]] ([[OCA]]) (November 12 in the West).
==Life==
Born in Tuscany, St. Martin was educated with Church doctrine and joined the [[clergy]] of the Roman Churchof Rome. As a [[priest]] Fr. Martin represented the [[See]] of Rome in Constantinople. After the death of Pope Theodore I's death in 649, the Martin was chosen to succeed him. He appointed John, [[saintbishop]] was chosen of Philadelphia (Amman) to be Administrator of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem after the death of Patriarch Sophronius, who had died in 638. Martin, as Pope, justified this appointment "by the apostolic power which came to succeed himfrom Jesus Christ through St. Peter."
During his papacy, the Monothelete [[Monothelitism|Monothelite]] [[heresy ]] began to question Church doctrine. The heresy advanced the teaching that Christ had two natures but one will, contrary to the Orthodox position that he had two wills - human and divine. The heretics were able to find adherents in high levels of society, such as Emperor [[Constans II|Constans]] (641–668) and [[Patriarch]] [[Paul II of Constantinople|Paul of Constantinople]] (641–654). Emperor Constans even published a book entitled "Pattern of Faith" that all people were forced to read. The book supported the heresy. When St. Martin read the book, he staunchly supported Orthodoxy and even convened the [[Lateran Council ]] at Rome in order to condemn the Monothelite heresy.
When the emperor learned this, he sent a military commander to kill the pope. Since the commander was too scared to assassinate the pope himself, he hired someone to perform the deed. The hired assassin became blinded upon approaching St. Martin and was unable to kill him. The military commander fled from Rome in fear and soon died in battle.
The saint was brought to trial, weak and ill from the abuses he endured in prison, and stood against false witnesses who claimed he was treasonous to another group of peoples. The judge condemned the saint without hearing his defense. Unable to bare the tortures anymore, the saint said, "The Lord knows what a great kindness you would show me if you would deliver me quickly over to death." Many believed the false witnesses and jeered him as he was brought to prison, while those who believed the saint were not able to bear seeing him so humiliated and fled in tears. The saint was to be deposed from his rank and executed.
When Emperor Constans reported this to Patriarch Paul, the patriarch realized the faults of his ways and ordered for the torments to stop. St. Martin boldly declined the patriarch's request, not wanting to adhere to the [[Church of Constantinople]] since it was still under heretical doctrine. His death sentence to exile was carried out at Cherson in the Crimea. Saint Martin died due to hunger and sickness on [[September 16]], 655.
==Hymns==
:[[intercession|Intercede]] for those who cry: "Rejoice, blessed Father Martin."
==External linksSources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=101075 St Martin the Confessor the Pope of Rome] ([[OCA]])
*[http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=17 Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/wwc/m.html Martin I, Pope of Rome (649-655)]
==External link==
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/m/inp136.htm Icon and Troparion of St. Martin, Pope of Rome]
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Deusdedit [[Theodore Iof Rome|Theodore I]]|
title=[[List of the Popes of the Church of Rome|Pope of Rome]]|
years=649-655|
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:7th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Popes of Rome]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category:7th-century saints]]
