20 April 2015
His Grace Bishop
Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom,
has issued the following statement today, after the murder of Ethiopian
Christians in Libya.
The confirmation of the murder of Ethiopian
Christians by Daesh (IS) in Libya has been received with deep sadness. These
executions that unnecessarily and unjustifiably claim the lives of innocent
people, wholly undeserving of this brutality, have unfortunately become far too
familiar. Once again we see innocent Christians murdered purely for refusing to
renounce their Faith.
The Christians of Egypt and Ethiopia have had a
shared heritage for centuries. Being predominantly Orthodox Christian
communities with a mutual understanding of life and witness, and a common
origin in the Coptic Orthodox Church, they now also share an even greater
connection through the blood of these contemporary martyrs.
This sad news came on the day that His Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury visited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II in Egypt to
personally express his condolences following the similar brutal murder of 21
Coptic Orthodox Christians in Libya by Daesh in February of this year.
These horrific murders have not only touched the
lives of those in the Middle East and Africa, but have led to a greater sense
of solidarity among people and communities around the world.
I am thankful, in the midst of this pain, that
the ghastly nature of these crimes is bringing a greater rejection of them, and
of any ideology that sanctions, justifies or glorifies brutality and murder.
As people of faith and none who respect humanity
and life, we must continue to speak out against such appalling and senseless
violence. As Christians, we remain committed to our initial instinct following
the murder of our 21 Coptic brothers in Libya, that it is not only for our own
good, but indeed our duty to ourselves, the world, and even those who see
themselves as our enemies, to forgive and pray for the perpetrators of this and
similar crimes. We pray for these men and women, self-confessed religious
people, that they may be reminded of the sacred and precious nature of every
life created by God.
Acts such as these do not only cause
insurmountable pain to so many around the world, especially the families and
communities of the victims, but can also create an even greater desensitisation
in those perpetrating them to the suffering and pain which they cause.
The will of God, Who created us in His own Image
and likeness, can most certainly not be that we feel each other’s pain less or
become desensitised to each other’s suffering.
We pray repose for the souls of these innocent
men, a change of heart for those who took their lives, but above all we pray
comfort and strength for their families and communities, and the many around
the world who may not have known them, yet are left to mourn such a tragic and unnecessary
loss of precious life.
Having seen the courageous response of the
families of the Coptic martyrs in Libya, we pray similar strength, courage and
peace for all those suffering as a result of this brutal act, reassured that
their loved ones will never be forgotten, having died as true martyrs and
paying the ultimate price, hearing the joyful promise “Well done, good and
faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Lord.
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