While the world watches the actions of the ISIS terrorist group with outrage and horror, a story of Egyptian Christians reacting to the loss of their relatives and church members brings incredible perspective from those most deeply affected by the murderous actions of the militant extremists. After news of the killing of 21 Christian laborers in Libya by ISIS, Egyptian photographer Jonathan Rashad traveled to Al Aour, the hometown of 13 of the 21 martyrs. "I didn't want to go somewhere, snap pictures, write captions, and leave like a normal breaking news story," Mr. Rashad said, writing on behalf of The New York Times. "I wanted to understand how people felt."

And how did the mothers, daughters, and priests of the murdered men feel? Grief and mourning to be sure, but underneath the loss, a deep understanding of the meaning of their deaths, and their steadfast faith even under the executioner's knife. Quotes the Times, "In the Christian village, Mr. Rashad said he was surprised to find some who viewed the deaths as a gift from ISIS: 13 martyrs who perished for their religion, ultimately proving their absolute love of God. Unlike his revenge-seeking neighbors, Bishop Felobous said, 'God is using them to bring martyrs to the world.' Instead of seeking retribution, he pleaded for forgiveness: 'God asked us to even love our enemies.'"

Source:

Andrew Boryga, “After Horror in Libya, Christians’ Grief in an Egyptian Village,” The New York Times (4-1-15)