blood baptism

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A term applied by the early Christians to the martyrdom of those converts who had not been baptized. See baptism of blood, under baptism.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Eccl. Hist.) the martyrdom of those who had not been baptized. They were considered as baptized in blood, and this was regarded as a full substitute for literal baptism.