The past few weeks have been brutal and devastating for minorities across the Middle East: the deadly seeds of ethnic cleansing of the Al-Suwayda Syrian Druze and the bombings of Christian Syrian Churches, a Coptic teacher running in fear as a Muslim mob screams “dirty Christian”, alongside the growing uncertainty of Christian living heritage at the St Catherine Monastery. Reading so much violent devastation on the news may lead us all to question: what is our obligation to others? Perhaps the hundreds of years old story of Coptic St Euphemia is for relevant consideration on her remembrance day.
In Roman Egypt, the Coptic people experience extreme Diocletian persecution, and to be paraded through the streets Copts are being pulled by iron chains around their necks by Diocletian deputy, Barsiros (Briskos). A woman steps up from the crowd, alone and brave, unknown to one of the most powerful Empires in history but never forgotten in the pages of the Coptic Synaxarium. Saint Euphemia steps forward, weeping for her fellow Christians, curses the Emperor, his idols, and the governor. In defiance she says:
“O you whose heart is like a stone, do you not have compassion on these holy men! or are you not afraid that their God might destroy you?”
Euphemia is reported to the Emperor and brought before him to confess her Christian faith. She is tortured through beating and burning until she dies.
On the 17th of Abib every year she is remembered in the Coptic Synaxarium, which is in the Gregorian Calendar, today, the 24th July. (You can read more about the Coptic Calendar here.)
Over a millennia later, the procession of the persecuted continues, though the uniforms have changed.
In Syria’s southern Al-Suwayda governate there has been extreme sectarian violence. Al-Sharaa (al-Julani) may wear a new suit and have trimmed his beard, but his leadership of terror remains unchanged. Al-Sharaa (Syria’s new President) was the leader of terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which dissolved in 2017 from the Al-Nusra front groups, culpable of murdering and torturing many. Now under his leadership, the Druze (a monotheistic Arab-ethnic tribal group established in the region for centuries who are not Muslims, following a ‘Batini’ interpretation of the Five Pillars of Islam) have been subject to weeks of torture, murder, and extreme brutality. Videos recorded in the previous week show inhumane executions of entire families in the streets, desecration of corpses, beheadings, brutalisation, and humiliation of vulnerable groups. In early December, less than two weeks since Al-Sharaa took over Syria removing Assad, representatives of 6 Druze village leaders in Jabal al-Sheikh had predicted their imminent slaughter, declaring support for Israel rather than the new regime.
Whilst the brunt of the brutalisation has targeted the Druze, the Christians in Syria have also been suffering due to the violence enabled under the new Syrian regime. Evangelical Pastor Khalid and his entire family were brutally murdered, the Melkite Church in Sara set on fire, and a bombing at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus killed dozens and injured dozens more, although for their families and friends the impact is innumerable. Internal displacement has also risen as thousands of Christians have fled from their lives due to threats from Islamic State and other jihadist groups.
Closer to home geographically, sectarian violence in Egypt continues. It was not so long ago that the world watched a Coptic teacher run in fear from a mob who hurled religiously motivated abuse at her for doing her job by holding students accountable for cheating. Moreover, the Saint Catherine Monastery, a vital monastery in Christian Egyptian history remains under threat, symbolic of the Christian longevity in Egypt.
And so, we must wonder, what obligation do we have?
Well, Euphemia was in the same position many of us reading this are in – watching injustice happen. Yet, with bravery and a sense of justice, that rivals most of us: she acted. It is interesting to note that Euphemia is particularly remembered to have been motivated since:
“[she] saw them and her heart burned hot…and she wept”
Whilst many gendered stories about women paint them as overly emotional and hysterical – where emotion is a negative – Euphemia’s emotion is a virtue. It spurs her to act and empowers her to do the right thing.
St Euphemia was not being directly attacked when she spoke out. It was not her in chains. Yet her heart burned for others. Perhaps for all of us as we watch the events around the world, it would be good to remember Euphemia’s burning heart and gain a burning heart for others. May we hope our hearts never turn cold to the suffering of others, and that when we perceive injustice we may act. As we watch other minorities across the Middle East be brutally slaughtered, it is worth praying that our leaders hearts burn with the injustice of their deaths and that if we are ever in a position to act to protect others we are as brave as a Coptic woman from hundreds of years ago.
Here is the extract of St Euphemia’s memorialisation in the Coptic Synaxarium:
“The Seventeenth Day of the Blessed Month of Abib:
On this day, St. Euphemia, was martyred. When Barsiros (Briskos), one of the deputies of Diocletian, was passing down the road, there were with him some of the saints with iron chains round their necks like dogs. This saint saw them and her heart waxed hot. She was sorry for them and she wept. Then, she cursed the Emperor, his idols, and admonished the Governor saying, "O you whose heart is like a stone, do you not have compassion on these holy men! or are you not afraid that their God might destroy you?" The Governor became enraged and informed the Emperor about what she had done and said. The Emperor brought her and asked her about her belief. She confessed that she was Christian. He tortured her severely by beating and burning until she delivered up her pure soul in the hand of the Lord.
May her prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.”
Euphemia was a Coptic woman, but because it is sometimes confused it is important to note that there are within Eastern Christianity, four different Saint Euphemia’s, three of which are Saints. The Coptic Saint Euphemia, whose story is discussed here. One Saint Euphemia is a Roman woman who was also killed under Diocletian rule, another who is recorded in the story of Isidore of Antioch, and a final Saint Euphemia who has a famous story with Archangel Michael.
