(LifeSiteNews) — LifeSite editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen offered a sneak peek of the forthcoming documentary from Egyptian film director Raouf Zaki, as well as a promotional animated short, about the 21 Coptic Christian martyrs who were brutally tortured and slain by ISIS nearly 10 years ago for refusing to betray the name of Jesus on a Libyan beach.
The clip from the film showed the martyrs’ loved ones recalling their piety, kidnappings, and how they remained steadfast in their faith.
“Hani was a man of faith; he used to rise at 4 am to pray. He insisted that we all should fast. Even [our] girls when they were little. We fasted for 55 days during Lent,” one martyr’s widow said. “He was the oldest of his brothers. He was kindhearted. Everyone loved him whether they were Muslim or Christian.”
Other family members recounted stories of how the martyrs were kidnapped and their prayers that these men would remain steadfast in their faith.
“His arm broke; he was returning to Egypt for treatment but was kidnapped on the way home,” another martyr’s widow recalled.
“Some of them were staying together in one room. Men dressed in black balaclavas came and kidnapped them from the building late at night,” another said.
“We prayed to God to guard them in their faith when kidnapped. He refused to deny the cross, [ISIS] broke his leg, but he refused to deny Christ. We could not sleep; we prayed that his faith would not be shaken.”
Watch the full documentary preview to learn more about the pious lives and heroic deaths of the 21 Coptic martyrs.
To view the animated short, click here.
You can help make the production of the film possible by donating to the film’s Kickstarter here.