Our Coptic Church lives by the work of the Holy Spirit inside of her. Her page of martyrdom comes from the fruits of the Spirit. We are amazed how our fathers and our martyrs withstood their sufferings; how they were unshaken, how they conquered, and how their honored blood, which was shed, destroyed the weapons of the evil kings and rulers.
“And when you hear that we look for a kingdom, you suppose, without making any inquiry that we speak of a human kingdom. Instead, we speak of that which is with God, as can be shown from the confession of their faith made by those who are charged with being Christians, even though they know that death is the punishment awarded to those who so confess. For if we looked for a human kingdom, we would deny our Christ, so that we might not be killed. We would try to escape detection, so that we might obtain what we hope for. But since our thoughts are not fixed on the present, we are not concerned when men cut us off; since death is a debt which must at all events be paid.”
Justin Martyr, c. AD 150, First Apology 11
Martyrdom is the story of Christianity from its inception. It is a story of spreading the Holy Gospel all over the world. The witness of the martyr’s blood was greater than any teaching or preaching. Martyrdom is a deep philosophy founded on strong spiritual principles for which Christians from all social levels, cultures and throughout the ages have been attached to.
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