Remembering the 21 Christians Killed by Islamic State Militants on a Libyan Beach 11 Years Ago
Eleven years have passed since the world watched in horror as Islamic State militants beheaded 21 Christian men on a beach in Libya. The victims, 20 Coptic workers from Egypt and one from Ghana, were killed for one reason alone: they refused to deny their faith in Jesus Christ.
The execution took place on February 15, 2015, near the coastal city of Sirte. A video released by the militant group showed the men dressed in orange jumpsuits, being led along the shore by masked fighters . In their final moments, some of them could be heard crying out “Ya Rabb Yesua” which means “O Lord Jesus” . Others whispered prayers to their Savior as death approached.
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The men were poor migrant workers who had gone to Libya looking for jobs to support their families back home. They were kidnapped in separate incidents between December 2014 and January 2015 . Reports say they were given a last chance to convert to Islam and save their lives. Every single one of them refused.
Among them was Matthew Ayariga, a young man from Ghana. Not much is known about his background, but his final act on earth spoke volumes. When questioned by his captors, he reportedly said, “Their God is my God,” choosing to die alongside his Egyptian colleagues even though he could have gone free . His words have been remembered ever since as a powerful declaration of faith.
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The killings sent shockwaves around the world. Egypt’s government responded immediately with airstrikes against militant targets in Libya . But for the families of the victims, the pain did not go away easily. In the Egyptian village of Al-Our, where 13 of the men came from, relatives wept openly. One father, whose 22-year-old son Shenouda was among the dead, spoke of his anguish. “I want his body back. If they dumped it in the sea, I want it back. If they set fire to it, I want its dust,” he said at the time .
In the years since, the 21 men have been honored by the Christian world in ways that cross old dividing lines. The Coptic Orthodox Church declared them saints just days after their death . Then in 2023, Pope Francis made a historic decision. With the agreement of Coptic Pope Tawadros II, he added the 21 martyrs to the Roman Martyrology, the Catholic Church’s official list of saints . It was a powerful sign of unity between the two churches.
Their remains were found in a mass grave in 2017 and brought back to Egypt. A church was built in their honor in the village of Al-Our, where many of them came from . Matthew Ayariga’s remains were also returned there in 2020 at the request of the Coptic Church .
On their 11th anniversary, Christians around the world remember these 21 men. They were not famous or powerful. They were simple workers who could have lived by saying words they did not believe. But they chose to die rather than deny the One they loved. Their courage continues to inspire believers facing persecution in many parts of the world.
The 21 Christian men were executed by ISIS on February 15, 2015.
We honor their names so their bravery will never be forgotten.
- Bishoy Adel Khalaf
- Samuel Alhoam Wilson
- Hany Abdel-Masih Salib
- Melad Mackeen Zaki
- Abanoub Ayad Attia
- Ezzat Bushra Nassif
- Yousef Shokry Younan
- Kirillos Shukry Fawzy
- Majed Suleiman Shehata
- Samuel Stéphanos Kamel
- Malak Ibrahim Siniot
- Bishoy Stéphanos Kamel
- Mena Fayez Aziz
- Girgis Melad Sniout
- Tawadros Youssef Tawadros
- Essam Badr Samir
- Luke Ngati
- Jaber Mounir Adly
- Malak Faraj Abram
- Sameh Salah Farouk
- Matthew Ayariga
Heavenly Father the world cannot grasp why these twenty one men stood firm. Believers see Christ on the cross as their perfect example of sacrifice. Thank you for sending Jesus to model life and death for truth. Comfort their families eleven years later and fill us with His humility and strength. In Jesus name Amen.
Philippians 2:8
Being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself becoming obedient unto death even death of the cross.
Remembering the 21 Christians Killed by Islamic State Militants on a Libyan Beach 11 Years Ago.
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