Press Release
For immediate use
For immediate use
6 March 2015
Coptic Orthodox Church UK
Media and Communications Office
Coptic Orthodox Church (Europe)
Media and Communications Office
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and His Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury offer their support for the ‘When Left Behind’ appeal
launched by His Grace Bishop Angaelos for the families of Coptic Christians
brutally murdered in Libya in February 2015
6 March 2015
His
Royal Highness The Prince of Wales wrote personal letters of condolence to
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of
St Mark, and His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox
Church in the United Kingdom following the brutal murder of 21 Coptic
Christians in Libya and subsequently made a generous contribution towards the
#WhenLeftBehind appeal, which will support the families in Egypt of those
murdered in Libya. The Prince of Wales has continuously expressed his concern
regarding the current challenges facing Christians in some Middle-Eastern
nations and visited the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre in Stevenage in December
2013.
The
Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury also offered his condolences
to Bishop Angaelos during his personal visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church
Centre on 19 February 2015, and endorsed the appeal with a video message. The
full appeal video can be seen HERE.
Bishop
Angaelos launched the 'When Left Behind' appeal at a memorial service in London on
18 February 2015, where he spoke of the immense courage, strength and dignity
shown by those who lost their lives in Libya, saying:
“As we mourn with the
families of those who died we also rejoice in the faithful conviction,
strength, dignity and bravery of these men; these fathers, brothers, uncles and
sons who will never be forgotten.”
Bishop
Angaelos invites all to contribute to the ‘When Left Behind’ appeal, saying:
“These young men were
bread winners for their families and their loss will not only rob them of the
joy of their presence but will leave a significant financial void in an already
impoverished community. I am thankful to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales,
His Grace The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Honourable David Cameron and
so many more who have already expressed their support and solidarity with the
families who are left behind and with the Coptic faithful around the world.”
The
names of the young men killed in Libya are:
- Milad Makeen Zaky
- Abanub Ayad Atiya
- Maged Soliman Shehata
- Youssef Shukry Younan
- Kirollos Boshra Fawzy
- Bishoy Astafanous Kamel
- Samuel Astafanous Kamel
- Malak Ibrahim Sinyout
- Tawadros Youssef Tawadros
- Gerges Milad Sinyout
- Mina Fayez Aziz
- Hany Abdel Mesih Salib
- Samuel Alham Wilson
- Ezzat Boshra Naseef
- Luka Nagaty Anis
- Gaber Mounir Adly
- Essam Baddar Samir
- Malak Farag Abrahim
- Sameh Salah Farouk
- Gerges Samir Megally
- Mathew Ayairga (from Ghana)
*Ends*
