- from CatholicCulture.org
Since the earliest days of the Church, martyrs have been honored and revered for the example they give us of how to live out the Christian faith. These holy men and women were willing to give up everything, even their lives, rather than renouncing any part of their faith in Jesus. It truly is a heroic example for all of us. While today we associate the term martyr almost exclusively with those who have died for the faith, historically there were three different degrees of martyrs, identified by different colors: red, blue or green, and white. Red martyrs are what we traditionally think of as martyrs – those who have been tortured and killed for their faith. White martyrs are those, such as hermits, who aspire to a strict denial of themselves and earthly things by withdrawing from society. Blue or green martyrs are those who deny their desires through actions such as fasting and penitential labors but do not completely withdraw from society. There has also been a distinction made between “wet martyrs” who shed blood or were executed for the faith and “dry martyrs” who have been heavily persecuted for their faith but have not been actually shed their blood. Still, whichever degree or type of martyr we talk about, the important point is that they have sacrificed for their faith in the face of overwhelming persecution and obstacles. It is this example that we are called to emulate and use as a guide for our own journey as Christians.