STEVENAGE, UK (ANS – Feb. 17. 2015) His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, has issued an extraordinary statement following the brutal murder of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya.

“Our prayers are particularly with the families of these young Coptic men, who were fathers, brothers, sons and friends of many within their tight-knit rural communities, in which their absence will cause significant loss and sorrow. Their families are not only deprived of breadwinners who had travelled to Libya to support them, but of the joy that they bring when they return.

“While it may seem illogical or incomprehensible, we also pray for those who have carried out these horrific crimes, that the value of God's creation and human life may become more evident to them, and in this realization, that the wider effects of pain brought by this and other acts of brutality may be realized and avoided. We pray for an end to the dehumanization of captives who become mere commodities to be bartered, traded and negotiated with.”

He added, “We cannot remember our Coptic brothers without also remembering all those who have lost their lives in equally brutal circumstances: journalists, aid workers, medical staff, religious leaders, a young pilot, and communities that are considered incompatible with a fringe and intolerant element.

“In the midst of this sorrow however, we must continue to dig deeper for the joy that comes from an understanding that this life is but a ‘vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away’ (James 4:14), and that true glory and joy are found in an eternal life prepared for all those who live in and for love and peace.”

He concluded by saying, “It is only through this understanding that we can continue to live according to the words of 1 Peter 3:15 as demonstrated in the life and witness of the Coptic Church and her children over centuries, “...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you...”

The news of the brutal killings emerged after a video showing the beheadings purportedly of 21 Egyptian Christians who had been kidnapped by Islamic State (IS) militants in Libya.

According to the BBC, the footage shows a group wearing orange overalls, being forced to the ground and then decapitated.

The kidnapped Egyptian workers, all Coptic Christians, were seized in December and January from the coastal town of Sirte in eastern Libya, now under the control of Islamist groups.

The BBC went on to say that the video of the beheadings was posted online by Libyan jihadists who pledge loyalty to IS. A caption made it clear the men were targeted because of their faith.

“Egypt and the whole world are in a fierce battle with extremist groups carrying extremist ideology and sharing the same goals,” President Sisi said.

The beheadings were described as “barbaric” by al-Azhar, the highly regarded theological institution which is based in Egypt.