The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates and respects the martyrs for their faith, heroism, and unwavering loyalty to Christ. These giants of the faith were willing to confess the name of Christ and witness to the Truth of his Person to the point of severe, merciless torture and even death. Unfortunately, it is easy for us to feel disconnected from the martyrs. After all, it’s hard to relate to someone with whom we have very little shared experience. When we understand our Christian calling, however, it is easier to relate to the martyrs. The call to martyrdom is the call of every single Christian. We are all called, in different ways, to be martyrs for Christ.

In Greek, the word martyr signifies a "witness" who testifies to a fact he has knowledge about from personal observation and/or experience. The martyrs (witnesses) were generally people who were in deep relationships and communion with God. They had first-hand knowledge of God and His love for creation. This personal and intimate experience with God was the foundation for their martyrdom (witness). They were able, to the point of death, to stand before kings and religious leaders and declare their love for God because they first experienced God’s love for them. For example, St. Mena the Wonderworker first lived as a monk and once said “I have seen sin and corruption…I have left it and fled far away. I will abide in the desert and shall see my God.” It was the connection he built with God in his early life and in the desert that gave him the grace and courage to approach martyrdom (to become a witness). This God-given grace and courage called him out of the desert to witness the Truth. St. Mena went out of his way to witness to the Truth as a result of his deep connection with God. Many other martyrs (witnesses) gave up their lives to declare the Truth.

In the West, people have not been called regularly to witness Christ in their death. But we are called to be martyrs (witnesses) for Christ in various other ways. We are called to witness to Christ in our behaviour, in upholding the beliefs and Truths of the Church, and in our fight against sexual immorality. This is not easy and may come with consequences. We may be ridiculed, ostracized, or “cancelled”. While we may not be killed, our martyrdom (witness) is no less difficult and by no means any less of an offering of love to God.

We must remember, however, that the source of Divine grace and courage to witness to Christ is rooted in a real spiritual life, a strong, deep relationship with God. As evidenced by the life of St. Mena, our ability to be martyrs (witnesses) for Christ is inseparable from a life of holiness and life in the mysteries of the Church. One of the ways we can become martyrs is to fight against sexual immorality. The youth of the modern age are bombarded by sexual imagery and immorality wherever they go. Sexual “liberty” (which is truthfully bitter slavery) is preached to them at the same time as society devalues their God-gifted sexuality. The fight against sexual immorality is, in the modern age, a fight akin to the martyrdom of the great saints of our church. It has been said that “if the youth of this age are able to keep themselves pure, they will receive the crown of martyrdom”.

If we take up our call for martyrdom (witnessing), we undertake to walk a very difficult road. The martyrs are both our companions and protectors on this road. Let us follow their example. Let us build meaningful relationships with them. Let us ask for their prayers. Let us not treat them as the saints of a “bygone era” because they are not. After all, the 21 of Libya were called to martyrdom (witness) through death. Their martyrdom (witness) was spectacular and shook the whole world. We are called, albeit in a different way, to shake the world through our witness (martyrdom) for Christ.