In a heartbreaking and powerful testimony of faith, 21 Egyptian Christians mostly young men from impoverished villages in Upper Egypt were executed by ISIS militants on a Libyan beach in February 2015 after refusing to deny Jesus Christ. The men had traveled to Libya seeking work to support their families but were abducted by Islamic State extremists because of their Christian faith.

A video released by the terrorist group showed the men dressed in orange jumpsuits, lined up on the seashore, kneeling before their captors, with knives held to their throats, each man was given the chance to renounce Christianity and convert to Islam. One by one, they stood firm, many of them whispering the name of Jesus as their final words.

The families of the martyrs, despite the deep pain of their loss, expressed pride in their loved ones’ unwavering faith. Some even described feeling honored that their sons had died for Christ. Their courage inspired many across the world, becoming a symbol of steadfast faith under persecution.

The Egyptian government later built a church in their honor, known as the Church of the Martyrs of Faith and Homeland, in their home village of Al-Our. In 2023, the Coptic Orthodox Church officially recognized the 21 men as saints, further cementing their legacy as modern-day martyrs who chose eternal hope over earthly life.