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Most Orthodox Christians in America have little experience of martyrdom. Inalienable religious freedom is a given. Almost all believers feel safe parking their cars outside of their churches, hanging crosses around their necks, and speaking openly about God in public.
But some are an exception. Elian Alkhoury knows martyrdom personally.
Born in Syria and now a Texan, Elian is an incoming college freshman at the University of Texas at Austin and a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas. This year, he competed in the senior division of the national St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, held in Northridge, California in June. His speech—which he delivered in competition against eight other high school-aged national finalists—received an honorable mention, and responded to the prompt: “How does the witness of martyrs, both ancient and contemporary, strengthen and guide the Church today?”
Elian was drawn to the topic by a poignant personal connection.
In 2012 while living in Syria, Elian’s father was kidnapped off the street while leaving a dental appointment and detained. He was told that if he wished to be released, he must deny his Christian faith. He refused to do so. Eventually, family members paid a ransom to the kidnappers to free him, and he later moved to the United States with his wife and children.
Elian’s speech recounted his father’s story and through it, explored the meaning of martyrdom in the Orthodox Church. He reminded listeners of the striking, imperative reality of persecution, even though it often seems distant to twenty-first century Americans. Although his speech did not win a medal, it was received by those in attendance of the Festival with particular enthusiasm. Audience members found themselves deeply moved by the story and impressed by the 18-year-old’s eloquence.
When asked why he chose to speak on this topic, Elian remarked, “I’m passionate about it. This one stood out to me because I had a personal connection with it. From the beginning, I was just like, ‘Okay, this is my story. I’m telling [my audience] a story.’”
The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival offers middle- and high school-aged Orthodox Christians a space in which they can delve into Faith as it applies to them individually, and where those stories are shared with peers, family, clergy, and the greater Orthodox community.This space continues to prove fruitful year after year. The young speakers of the Festival value this opportunity to declare Christ as they know Him, especially alongside one another. “We were all similar with our faith, we wanted to share our faith,” Elian said of his rivals at the national competition. “We felt passionate about speaking. Everyone was very strong. It was a great experience to get to know everyone and build a community.”
Composing a speech deeply rooted in his family’s story developed Elian’s personal faith, too. “I was able to process the nostalgic feelings of trusting God when my dad was kidnapped, and how my family had faith during his persecution. The speech showed me that we are really following our faith, and we have to trust it. It does make us stronger.”
“[I’m] going to a big college where you’re going to see literally every religion in the world, but the speech has brought me confidence in myself and confidence in my faith. I’m not going to lose sight.”
For most Orthodox Christians living in America, the thought of martyrdom doesn’t arise often. The conveniences of freedom of religion— blessings though they are— often leave the Church forgetful of the persecutions in her history and in her present. Elian’s speech reminded listeners that for 2,000 years, countless Christian like his father have risked everything for their Faith in the face of persecution.
“It’s really important for the young generation to understand how Orthodox Christians have lived throughout the years,” Elian remarked. “It’s important that we know our history. Our Church is a very strong Church.”
The opportunity to share his father’s story at the national Oratorical Festival has given Elian confidence and courage, he said. “It has made me even more sure about our faith, made me closer to our faith every single day.”
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