Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareVATICAN CITY — The Vatican is formally recognizing 21 Coptic Orthodox workers who were beheaded by Islamic militants in Libya as martyrs with their own feast day, in a significant new ecumenical gesture aimed at forging unity between Catholic and Orthodox churches. During the audience, Francis kissed relics of the 21 young men that Tawadros offered him as a gift. The Vatican will likely designate Feb. 15 as their feast day, the same day the Coptic Orthodox Church honors them, officials said. The Coptic Orthodox pope joined Francis on stage during the Catholic pontiff’s weekly general audience on Wednesday. Tawadros is scheduled to celebrate a liturgy for the Coptic Orthodox faithful on Sunday at Francis’ cathedral, St. John Lateran.
