The General Synod of the Church of England has approved plans to introduce an annual commemoration for the ’21 Martyrs of Libya’ – a group of Christian men martyred in February 2015 – into the Anglican Church’s liturgical calendar.
Modern day Christian Martyrs, the 20 Coptic Christians and one Ghanian – Matthew Ayariga – were killed after they refused to renounce their faith. They had been targeted specifically for their Christian identity, and died with the words ‘O my Lord Jesus’ on their lips.
Filmed for a propaganda video, the men were dressed in identical orange jumpsuits and were led along a beach by black-clad militants before being murdered – many praying as they were martyred.
The workers were identified as Coptic Orthodox Christians, but one of them – Matthew Ayariga – is something of a mystery. Some speculate that he was a Catholic. In the time before his death, when he was questioned by his terrorist captors, he simply said “their God is my God.”
Days after the murders, the martyrs were Canonised by Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II. Pope Francis followed suit announcing that the 21 men would “be included in the Roman Martyrology as a sign of the spiritual communion uniting our two Churches”.
It is believed that Matthew Ayariga was born in Ghana, or possibly Chad, in the late 80s or early 90s. Not much is known about him but he evidently left his homeland to earn a living as a migrant worker. In 2015 he sought construction work in the Libyan port town of Sirte.
Matthew Ayariga’s willingness to die alongside his Coptic companions is why the Catholic Church celebrates him as a saint and martyr. As Pope Francis said: “These martyrs were baptised … in blood, blood that is a seed of unity for all followers of Christ.”
This week’s decision at the General Synod marks the first time that the Anglican liturgical calendar has been altered since 2010.
During the debate, Synod was reminded of the words of the Bishop of Chelmsford when the motion was introduced last year that “martyrdom is a present reality in the life of the Church.”
Concluding the debate Bishop Michael Ipgrave, Chair of the Liturgical Commission, said the commemoration would fix “our gaze on a beach in Libya where the same Lord was confessed by men whose worldly power was small but whose witness has become immense.”
The commemoration will take place in the Church of England on 15th February every year, the same day as their commemoration in the Roman Martyrology.
Pic: cbcew/org.uk
