protomartyrs
/ˌproʊtoʊˈmɑrtərz/
noun
- The first person or people to be killed for their religious or other beliefs, especially the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen.
- In many traditions, the protomartyrs are remembered with special ceremonies.
- Saint Stephen is often called the protomartyr because he was the first Christian killed for his faith.
- The early church honored its protomartyrs as examples of ultimate devotion.
- By extension, the first person or group to suffer or die for a cause, movement, or principle.
- She became a protomartyr for the environmental movement after giving her life to protect the forest.
- The activists considered the fallen leader the protomartyr of their struggle for freedom.
- History books often name the first fallen soldier as a protomartyr of the revolution.