The 21

A Journey into the Land of Coptic Martyrs

By: Martin Mosebach

Narrated by: Creative Orthodox

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Behind a gruesome ISIS beheading video lies the untold story of the men in orange and the faith community that formed these unlikely modern-day saints and heroes.

In a carefully choreographed propaganda video released in February 2015, ISIS militants behead twenty-one orange-clad Christian men on a Libyan beach.

In the West, daily reports of new atrocities may have displaced the memory of this particularly vile event. But not in the world from which the murdered came. All but one were young Coptic Christian migrant workers from Egypt. Acclaimed literary writer Martin Mosebach traveled to the Egyptian village of El-Aour to meet their families and better understand the faith and culture that shaped such conviction.

He finds himself welcomed into simple concrete homes through which swallows dart. Portraits of Jesus and Mary hang on the walls along with roughhewn shrines to now-famous loved ones. Mosebach is amazed time and again as, surrounded by children and goats, the bereaved replay the cruel propaganda video on an iPad. There is never any talk of revenge, but only the pride of having a martyr in the family, a saint in heaven. “The 21” appear on icons crowned like kings, celebrated even as their community grieves. A skeptical Westerner, Mosebach finds himself a stranger in this world in which everything is the reflection or fulfillment of biblical events, and facing persecution with courage is part of daily life.

In twenty-one symbolic chapters, each preceded by a picture, Mosebach offers a travelogue of his encounter with a foreign culture and a church that has preserved the faith and liturgy of early Christianity—the “Church of the Martyrs.” As a religious minority in Muslim Egypt, the Copts find themselves caught in a clash of civilizations. This book, then, is also an account of the spiritual life of an Arab country stretched between extremism and pluralism, between a rich biblical past and the shopping centers of New Cairo.

©2020 Plough Publishing House (P)2023 Plough Publishing House

Critic reviews

The twenty-one Libya martyrs have given the world an example of faithful, resilient Christian witness that has touched and brought together the full breadth of Christian expression around the world. Their prayers in the face of death have not only resonated with Christians, but have also encouraged people of all faiths to stand for one another. I am grateful for Martin Mosebach’s faithful depiction of these courageous men, their families, communities, and church.—Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Church

Take[s] us deep into the lives and churches of these Coptic believers, with Mosebach exhibiting an attention to detail befitting his novelistic gifts….We gain a rich impression of what shaped the lives and faith of these martyrs, and we witness how their martyrdom reverberates to this day through their families, churches, and communities.—Christianity Today

A consuming work on the history and contemporary life of Coptic Christians. . . . Through immersive scenes and finely drawn portraits of the people he meets, Mosebach exhibits a clear admiration for the Copts’ devotion on every page.—Publishers Weekly

Amazing story

The story was told beautifully. I never heard about the miracles associated with them. A good story of whether you love history or Christianity.

So important trust this amazing story be told.

It's an amazing story. also a great insights into the Coptic Church.

the only question mark I was left with is that the author's understanding of Roman Catholicism seems as if he's never read Ratzinger's "Spirit of the Liturgy." and has some significant misunderstandings based (maybe?) on the craziness of the German Church right now, but the modern German church is hardly the way to understand Roman Catholicism.

Beautiful read and narration

Awesome read. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world. I could vividly picture their lives ♥️