12/07/2026
General Synod has approved plans to introduce an annual commemoration for the “21 Martyrs of Libya” - a group of Christian men martyred in 2015 - into the Church’s liturgical calendar.
Modern day Christian Martyrs, the 20 Coptic Christians and one Ghanian 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.
They have also been recognised as Martyrs by the Coptic Church and are commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church. .
Today marks the first time that the 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 on February 15 every year.
Synod approved this new Commemoration alongside the new “Festival of Creation in Christ” by a counted vote of Houses
House of Bishops: 29 For 0 Against 0 0 Abstentions
House of Clergy: 101 For 0 Against 0 Abstentions
House of Laity: 120 For 1 Against 1 Abstention
Biography of Martys
On or about 15 February 2015, twenty-one Christian men were martyred by militants of the extremist organisation Da’ish on a beach near Sirte, Libya. The murder was documented and broadcast by the perpetrators. The men’s steadfastness in the face of this brutal act has been widely recognised as a profound witness to the Christian faith. These martyrs (twenty from Egypt, and their friend from Ghana), who were primarily migrant labourers seeking to support their families, refused to renounce Christ despite the threat of death. They affirmed their faith with the supplication O my Lord Jesus as they met their end. They were targeted specifically for their Christian identity. Their murder was intended as a message of terror, yet it became an extraordinary testimony to Christian courage and perseverance. Following their deaths, the Coptic Orthodox Church swiftly recognised them as martyrs, establishing 15 February as their feast day.
Practical information about keeping the Commemoration of the Twenty-One Martyrs of Libya