Pope Francis adds 21 Coptic Orthodox martyrs to Catholic list of saints

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/...awadros-ii-coptic-orthodox-martyrs-egypt.html
Opinions on this? pastoral-ecumenical decision or deep theological \saintliness decision?

I dont know the canonical status of coptic or if they have major theological differences or just a non-pope bishop leader

 

They were very brave martyrs. No question. But not sure about this.

 

I think a bit premature as we don’t have intercommunion yet. I do however have a postcard of an icon of the martyrs on my fridge. They were incredibly brave and their witness was wonderful. I am sure their deaths took them to heaven, but adding them to the Roman martyrology is too early imo

 

It's so sad to be instantly suspicious of everything the Holy Father gets up to.

But as St Francis De Sales used to say you catch more bees with a spoonful of honey than a barrel of vinegar.

So I suppose it is a wise and loving action.

 

This is not the first time the Church has recognised Orthodox saints. St Seraphim a Russian Orthodox hermit is recognised. Little wonder he was a kind of Russian Padre Pio.

 

The Copts profess the Monophysite heresy, which rejects the existence of two natures in Christ (human and divine). On this point, they seem farther from us than the Lutherans

 

This might be a first step towards the acceptance and a unification of the churches in the future ? His intentions are hard to discern.

 

I thought so too.

 

A good fruit puts forth good fruit and a bad tree, bad.

But I try my best to think the best.

 

Did their Monophysitism develop, back in the early Church, as an over-reaction to the Arianism rampant at the time? I don't know for certain if that's the case, but it is certainly an error preferable to its Arian opposite. I don't know how knowledgeable of their theology typical Copts are, but it seems undeniable that they regard Christ as their God and gave their lives for Him. Whatever the theological thinking of these men, I think it's reasonable to say that they died as witnesses for the True, Triune God and deserve to be regarded as martyrs for the One, True, Roman Church of which the Coptic is simply a temporarily estranged wounded member.

 

I think that very many of the faithful would be sympathetic to this decision. I think even that those dismissed as 'rigid' would be the more likely to be sympathetic, as I can't see liberal modernists having any taste for martyrdom, much preferring, as they do, compromise with, even surrender to, whatever is the prevailing societal view. I don't know what are the Bergoglian intentions, if any, but perhaps the old, hoary saying applies about stopped clocks being right twice in the day?

 

Yup. Agree agree agree.

 

I agree. They were migrant workers, not theologians. Their dignity in accepting martyrdom for their faith in Christ was a true witness for all Christians.

I have far less problem with this than Protestant theologians being given Communion in the Vatican.

 

Me too.

 

i believe in their salvation however it should be noted that they reject the decisions of the council of chalcedon (451) which was the fourth ecumenical council in the history of christianity so their inclusion in roman martiorology may open the way for the inclusion of adherents of other religions that they reject the infallibility of the 7 ecumenical councils of the undivided Church.

 

I suppose in Charity it is better to ascribe good intentions to someone unless there is good reason for knowing otherwise.

So I am giving Pope Francis points for this.

I recall the videos of these poor men's death and am happy to believe them Martyrs and saints.

I have no doubt there are numerous Protestant saints too. Heroic virtue is not about being always right. For instance there was a Pope Saint whose name escapes me who placed the Jews in a Ghetto back when.

Saints make mistakes, the same as the rest of us.

 

There is one Copy monk today who I have no doubt is a living Saint, the Australian priest and hermit Father Lazarus. Type his name on utube, he is wonderful.

I know in Cairo , because of Islamic persecution Copts are forced to live off rubbish heaps. Still they keep the Faith inspire of a real danger of death.

If this isn't heroic virtue I don't know what is.

I think not long ago Islamists burnt down one of their Churches with many of them inside. What can we do but admire them?

 

Maybe Francis is trying a big rapprochement with other Christian denominations during Jubilee 2025, and this will be included in intercommunion in Roman martiorology.