[PetroniusMaximus]

"Martyrdom helps to redeem sin"

annalex, this evidences a VERY different understanding of redemption than I have found in the Bible.

My understanding is that nothing can redeem us except the blood of Christ. Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

Without intending to be overly provocative, your statement almost seems like something one would read in the Koran.

[annalex]

What I meant was really "repent", as that is what is sufficient to place the Maccabee soldiers in Purgatory or even Paradise, were their struggle taking place after the Resurrection in the name of Christ.

However, we do speak of redemptive value of suffering as it reflects in our life the suffering of Christ. St. Paul speaks of individual suffering completing the work of the redemptive suffering of Christ in Col 1:24. For more scripture on the participating in the redemptive work of Christ, see SUFFERING.