Today we honor and remember the unknown number of boys massacred by Herod at the time when Jesus was born. The Massacre of the Innocents is the biblical narrative of the cruel infanticide committed by Herod. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod ordered the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a new-born King of the Jews whose birth had been announced to him by the Magi. An Old Testament prophecy was thus fulfilled: "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children." The number of infants killed is not stated, however the Holy Innocents have been claimed as the first Christian martyrs. Today we remember also the millions of babies killed through abortion, who may be considered as the modern martyrs, the modern Holy Innocents. With them we can remember all martyrs, especially priests and religious who were killed in their churches while serving their congregations.
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