Pope Francis Adds Coptic Orthodox Martyrs to Roman Martyrology

Pope Francis announced on Thursday that 21 Coptic Orthodox martyrs killed by ISIS in 2015 will be added to the Roman Martyrology, the Catholic Church’s official list of saints and blesseds recognized in its liturgy. He also received a relic of the martyrs’ blood as a gift from Pope Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Speaking to Tawadros, Francis said the addition was made with the Coptic leader’s consent and was “a sign of the spiritual communion uniting our two Churches.”

The martyrs were beheaded by ISIS on a beach in Libya on February 15, 2015. The Roman Martyrology orders its entries according to the Church’s calendar of feast days. Tawadros said the Coptic Orthodox Church has already recognized the martyrs’ holiness and celebrates them with other modern martyrs on the 8th of Amshir, the sixth month of the Coptic calendar, which roughly corresponds to February 15 on the Gregorian calendar used by the Catholic Church.

Francis and Tawadros met at the Vatican on May 11 with other Coptic Orthodox representatives. The meeting included a private conversation and ended with prayer in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel of the Apostolic Palace. In his remarks, Francis said he had “no words” to express his gratitude for the relics, and he prayed that the martyrs’ witness would help the friendship between the two Churches grow until they can celebrate together at the same altar.

Tawadros said that by handing over part of the relics, the Coptic Church wanted the martyrs to be remembered in the martyrology of all Churches. He described the saints as “one of the main pillars” of both Churches, beginning with the apostles Peter, Paul and Mark, and said the new martyrs had “guarded the faith” and “did not lose heart in the face of torture.”

The meeting was one of several events this week marking the 50th anniversary of a historic encounter between St. Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, which was a turning point in relations between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Churches. On May 10, 1973, the two leaders signed a joint declaration. May 10 has since been marked as the “Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship,” and this year marked its 10th commemoration. On Wednesday, Francis and Tawadros jointly held the Vatican’s weekly general audience, each expressing gratitude for the friendship between the Churches. Tawadros, the source says, is also expected in Rome to celebrate an Orthodox Divine Liturgy at the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran and to visit the local Coptic Orthodox community.

Tawadros II, 70, is the 118th pope of Alexandria and patriarch of the See of St. Mark. There are an estimated 10 million Coptic Orthodox Christians worldwide, roughly 90% of whom live in Egypt. The Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the Orthodox Church’s sacraments.

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