'My Father is in Heaven'--Egyptian Martyrs Get Their Own Church at Last

Aid to the Church in Need ^ | 10/13/15 | Oliver Maksan

[marshmallow]

"I am proud of my father--not just for my own sake, but because he has honored the whole Church. He did not deny his faith. That is something wonderful. We pray for the perpetrators, that they may be converted."

CAIRO—The gruesome images of the 21 Christians who were beheaded in last February by Islamic State terrorists have left a deep imprint on the memory of Christian Egyptians. Now a new church dedicated to the martyrs—who are formally recognized as such by Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church—will honor their memory in a tangible fashion: this week—after a long delay—work began on laying the foundations of the new church in the Coptic-Orthodox Diocese of Samalout, from which most of the martyrs came.

The project had been authorized directly by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi shortly after the tragedy, but resistance by local Muslim authorities delayed the start of construction.

Bishop Paphnutius of Samalout said: “We are extremely proud of our martyrs. Although they were forced to kneel before their executioners, they were the stronger. Their murderers were the weaker, despite their weapons. Why would they have concealed their faces otherwise? It could only have been because they were afraid,” he insisted; “Our sons by contrast were very strong and called on our Lord until their very last breath.”

Bishop Paphnutius interprets their martyrdom spiritually. “The Church has always known that the blood of martyrs is the seed of faith. It will remain so until the end of time,” he said. “From Alexandria to Aswan, throughout Egypt, Christians have been strengthened in their faith. Muslims from all over have also told us that they are proud; they say that our martyrs have shown that we Egyptians are very strong. Their death fills all of us, Christians and Muslims alike, with pride.”

[PGR88]

Remember, this is the Al-Sisi who deposed Obama and Jarrett’s Muslim-Brotherhood friends, who were encouraging pogroms against the Christian Copts.

Obama didn’t like the maneuver, which saved Egypt from Civil War, so he put sanctions on the Al-Sisi Government.

[SaraJohnson]

The obama minions hate al-Sisi because he unseated Obama’s Muslim Brotherhood after they slaughtered Christians and burned their churches. This gesture of respect toward Christians in Egypt, in the aftermath of the MB abuse by al-Sisi, is very brave and kind and why Obama hates him.

I really think Obama is a radical Muslim who toppled all those governments in the Middle East and wanted the MB to take over power over the Middle East. Assyad in Syria managed to hold onto power so the CIA funded and trained jihadists (who Obama and McCain claims are “moderates”) to attack his government. They claim the MB is “moderate” and a friend to the US and it is not.

[NRx]

Great and Holy New Martyrs of Egypt & Libya pray for us!

[cloudmountain]

A couple of Palestinian Roman Catholic men (from Bethlehem) come to our Church every year to sell carvings made from the olive tree.

I buy something every year and let him "keep the change."

Sandwiched between the other two faiths, life isn't easy for them. They are in MY prayers.

[Kolokotronis]

Troparion (Tone 1)

Like meek lambs ye cried out with your last breaths,/

‘O Lord Jesus’,/

And like roses blooming in the desert of Libya,/

Ye shed your blood for the Master./

With godly valour, ye showed your godless persecutors/

True strength from the true faith,/

O pride of Minya and boast of the church of St Mark,/

Intercede with Christ that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion (Tone 8, to the special melody ‘To thee the Champion Leader’)

O ye new-martyrs, faithful sons of the nation of the Cross,/

Ye denied not Christ to save your mortal lives,/

With your constancy ye earned the true crowns of life./

Ye are witnesses to us who venerate your sufferings/

That the Lord gives courage in the hour of trial,/

By your example we sing: /

O Lord Jesus, be our comfort and strength!