Pope Francis has announced during a meeting with the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II, that the 21 Coptic Christian martyrs killed by Daesh (ISIS) in 2015 would be added to the Roman Catholic Church's calendar.
The men were beheaded in Libya, with their executions recorded and shared online. Pope Francis stated that these martyrs would be included in the Roman Martyrology as a symbol of the spiritual unity between the two churches.
Pope Francis told Pope Tawadros II: “These martyrs were baptised not only in water and the Spirit, but also in blood, blood that is a seed of unity for all followers of Christ. I am pleased to announce today – with the agreement of Your Holiness – that these 21 martyrs will be included in the Roman Martyrology as a sign of the spiritual communion that unites our two churches.”
This marks the first time since the 5th century split that both Churches will honour the same saints. The Coptic Orthodox Church had been commemorating the martyrs in their equivalent of the Roman Martyrology since 2015.
The meeting also involved an exchange of gifts, with Pope Francis receiving a relic of the Coptic martyrs, and Pope Tawadros II receiving a relic of the fourth-century Egyptian martyr St Catherine of Alexandria. The visit by Pope Tawadros II to Vatican City commemorates the 50th anniversary of a historic meeting between the heads of the two Churches in 1973.
To read more about this historic event, please click here.
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Maaloula, Syria © Jacques Berset / ACN
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ACN Appeal
Maaloula’s resurrection
Maaloula, a Christian shrine town, faced a nightmare when Islamist rebel soldiers took control in October 2013. At least 10 Christians were killed for their refusal to renounce their Faith, and their bodies were left as a warning. The jihadists marked the doors of believers' homes with threats. Many Christians escaped through the town's sewers. When they returned, they found graves desecrated, homes destroyed, and churches damaged. ACN helped restore homes, the Saints Sergius and Bacchus Monastery, and set up micro-industries for jobs. Today, the community is thriving with gratitude for the assistance provided.
To find out how you can help Christians in need, please click here.
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ACN Petition
Fr Michael Abugan calls for justice
As we near the first anniversary of the Pentecost Sunday church bombing in Owo, Nigeria, Fr Michael Abugan of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church is asking ACN benefactors to sign our Nigeria Petition to help bring perpetrators to justice. The deadline for signatures is 31st May. Please respond to Fr Michael’s call and sign our Petition here.
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