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Pope Francis Adds Coptic Orthodox Martyrs to Liturgical Book of Saints

National Catholic RegisterPope Francis receives relics of the Coptic martyrs from Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, on May 11.

The 21 men were beheaded by ISIS on a beach in Libya on Feb. 15, 2015; the Pope received a relic of the martyrs’ blood as a gift from the Coptic Orthodox Church.