Father Bishop George
St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Bellaire

Father Younan William and Father James Gendi
St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Houston

Father Youstos Ghaly
St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in New Orleans

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

A photo from my visit with Father William
A photo from my visit with Father William

It was only four short years ago that we grieved the New Year’s Day bombing of the Egyptian Coptic Church in Alexandria. The violence continues constantly. It is so dangerous to profess Christ in Egypt. The stamina of Egyptian Christians amazes me.

The violence continues constantly. It is so dangerous to profess Christ in Egypt. The stamina of Egyptian Christians amazes me.

This recent atrocity grieves me deeply. The martyrdom of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya at the hands of ISIS terrorists saddens all of us in the Lutheran community here in the Gulf Coast Synod.

As our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton said to His Grace Bishop Serapion, “May they find eternal rest, and may their loved ones experience God’s comfort and peace in this time of mourning,”

“Even in the brutality of their tragic deaths, they remained steadfast witnesses to Jesus Christ in a world consumed with hatred and violence,” she said. “The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will continue to hold these martyrs in our prayers, even as we ask God to redeem those who have fallen prey to the evils of terrorism. We will also pray for those in your community in the United States and worldwide who live in fear and despair.”

I have asked our congregations to remember Coptic Christians in our Sunday prayers this month. With deepest affection we remember the martyrs and you, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Peace,

Michael Rinehart,
Bishop