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This weekend marked the 10th anniversary of the shocking mass beheading of 21 captive Christians on a Libyan beach, at the hands of masked jihadists of the Islamic State (IS or ISIS). The beheading of these martyrs was filmed for an ISIS propaganda video. The ISIS spokesman in the 5-minute video declared that they would turn the oceans red with the blood of executed infidels. And indeed, in the final part of the video, as the speaker points his knife toward the sea and vows that “we will conquer Rome, by Allah’s permission, the promise of our Prophet, peace be upon him,” the bound captives’ blood stains the Mediterranean waves.
The group of captives began as 20 Egyptian construction workers captured in late 2014, but a 21st was added: Matthew Ayariga, a black African from Ghana. There is some confusion as to whether he was Christian to begin with, or that he converted after witnessing the unshakeable faith of his fellow prisoners. In any case, Matthew told the ISIS members, “Their God is my God.”
Initially, the captors reportedly tried to reason with the prisoners, even offering them money to deny their faith. But the prisoners refused. “Thus the journey of torture began.” Beatings, sleep deprivation, and worse failed to convince the prisoners to deny their God. Finally, bound and orange-jumpsuited (intended as a reference to the uniforms of Muslim terrorist prisoners of the U.S. at Guantánamo Bay), they were marched, on three separate occasions, to the beach as ISIS practiced filming them. On the last instance, after the threatening speech by the ISIS spokesman, they were beheaded – one by one, in the hope that some would recant as they watched the agonizing deaths of their brothers in Christ. None did.
The savage massacre ended up inspiring not terror but awe at the courage and resolute faith of the slain men, who all died with Jesus’ name on their lips.
The same month in which they were killed, the victims were officially declared saints and martyrs by Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In May 2023, Catholic Pope Francis also formally recognized the ISIS victims as martyrs and designated the date of their murder as a Catholic feast day.
In the years that followed the incident, MORE Productions’ founder Mark Rodgers was inspired to create a short film that presented a more accurate narrative of the sainted men’s abduction, imprisonment, torture, and gruesome execution – one that centered on and honored the spiritual victory of the martyrs. And so The 21 project was launched as a more truthful counterpart to the ISIS propaganda video. It was based on extensive research and multiple conversations with the family members, friends and Coptic clergy who knew the 21, as well as reports of interviews with former ISIS members.
The film, which runs 13 minutes including credits, was animated by a global team of more than 70 world-class artists from 24 countries, working under the direction of Tod Polson for five years of production. As the film’s website states, The 21’s aesthetic “takes its cues from the Neo-Coptic style.” Narrated in English, with Arabic dialogue, it features compelling original music composed and recorded by the Ayoub Sisters, classically trained musicians born and raised in Scotland who incorporate Coptic hymns and liturgy into their music.
The animation is interspersed with occasional actual footage of the captives and their march to the beach. The actual beheading is not depicted explicitly but the moments before and after are rendered in Coptic iconography-inspired animation that is both horrifying and powerful.
“In the early 21st century,” the narration begins, “ISIS began a reign of terror in an attempt to cleanse North Africa of Christians.” Why? We are not told explicitly, but the context is clear. In one shot, we are shown the black flag of ISIS flapping from the back of a vehicle, with the credo in Arabic (subtitled in English), “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
That is the reason for the aim of exterminating Christians across North Africa. Islam is a supremacist, imperialist religion which divides the world into Dar al-Islam – the House of Islam – and Dar al-Harb – the House of War. There can be no peace until all the world submits to the Islamic declaration of faith.
In a conversation with Fox News’ Lighthouse Faith, The 21 producer Mandi Hart stated that in interviews with former ISIS members, they claimed to experience and witness supernatural signs: earthquakes and lights, and shadowy figures moving among the prisoners, especially on the beach – some of them bearing swords, some on horseback. One ISIS member was reportedly so terrified by what he saw that he fled and converted to Christianity. He remains in hiding, according to Hart.
The 21 debuted on September 20, 2024 and made the shortlist for the 2025 Academy Awards, though ultimately it failed to be nominated. The film closes with the names of the 21 martyrs, which I include here to honor them:
- Milad Makeen Zaky
- Abanub Ayad Atiya
- Maged Soliman Shehata
- Youssef Shukry Younan
- Kirollos Boshra Fawzy
- Bishoy Astafanous Kamel
- Samuel Astafanous Kamel
- Malak Ibrahim Sinyout
- Tawadros Youssef Tawadros
- Gerges Milad Sinyout
- Mina Fayez Aziz
- Hany Abdel Mesih Salib
- Samuel Alham Wilson
- Ezzat Boshra Naseef
- Luka Nagaty Anis
- Gaber Mounir Adly
- Essam Baddar Samir
- Malak Farag Abrahim
- Sameh Salah Farouk
- Gerges Samir Megally
- Mathew Ayairga (from Ghana)
“Terrorism cannot triumph over sacrificial love,” as the film’s website declares. “Their example of love and forgiveness is a clarion call for the world to honor and emulate.”
Check out the trailer below, and for more details of the making of the film, check out this podcast interview with producer Mandi Hart. Then do not miss this extraordinary tribute, The 21, in its entirety and for free through February 17, here or on YouTube.
Follow Mark Tapson at Culture Warrior
God give us such courage
….and so its been for 14 centuries. Religious rabies.
And yet our college “students” worship Hamas and Isis and Hezbelloah. We should exchange the hostages for some of the college students. BTW: Hollywood hates Christians and Jews.
I admire such Christians as these.
However, I do not believe in forgiveness.
If Christians want to forgive war criminals who murder them, fine.
I prefer to see the war criminals executed.
You conflate forgiveness with mercy. There is a big difference.
I have thought this one through.
Thou Shalt honour they father and they mother means that the progeny don’t have the right to grant either forgiveness or mercy on those who murder their progenitors.
Only those who actually died have that right …..and being forever silenced to this world of the living, their forgiveness — or lack thereof — is unknown. Their progeny can’t just step in and let the war-criminals off the hook.
Even the murdered parents have no power to forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25).
Jesus taught us to pray God’s forgiveness for ourselves as we forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 6: 9-13). It is an awful and difficult prayer! Immediately after this prayer, Jesus says if we do not forgive others, we will not receive forgiveness for ourselves (Matthew 6: 14- 15). And who of us is without sin? Who is righteous? No one (Isaiah 64: 6).
When we forgive others, we leave justice and mercy to God for our own sins AND the sins of those who sin against us. Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right (Genesis 18:25)? We need God’s mercy because we deserve His wrath, and so we pray for God’s mercy for others who also do not deserve it. This does NOT mean God will grant mercy (Proverbs 25: 21 – 22). Our forbearance makes room for God’s wrath (Deuteronomy 32: 35; Proverbs 25:22).
And it is just fine for the government to punish murder with the death penalty, even as we pray God’s forgiveness for the murderer and watch with satisfaction his death (Genesis 9:6).
The LORD permits everything that comes to us, or He is not God. His reasons are often unknown to us, but the LORD is good and will work these things for our good and His glory. Joseph knew this well (Genesis 50:20). So did David.
Whatever these faithful martyrs accomplished, their deaths were precious in the eyes of the LORD (Psalm 115: 16).
Forgiveness is unilateral. It is done by you for your own sake, so your soul is not embittered and you do not poison yourself and those nearest you. It is you letting go of retribution because vengeance belongs to the LORD and He will repay (Deuteronomy 32: 35; Proverbs 20:22; Proverbs 24: 29).
Mercy is escaping the consequences of your sin – getting favor where none is merited. It is what all of us want from the LORD. but He ALONE grants mercy as He wills. And the blood of bulls and goats will never be enough (Isaiah 1:11; Micah 6: 6 – 8; Hebrews 10).
Have you watched the film? You can do so until the end of today for free.
Allan-
Very interesting thought about the commandment to honor your parents.
You leave unaddressed the question of forgiving those who murdered the stranger, or even the friend. I never met anyone who died on October 7, or from its aftermath. I shall never, in this world at least, forgive those murderers
It you refuse to define a problem there is no hope in solving it.
I was working in Egypt when that happened and by coincidence visited Al Minya, the home area of most of those martyrs, just a few days after that happened. You could feel the depression and anger in that town with its high % of Christians.
I felt then and still feel that this horrible atrocity didn’t get the media attention it should have had. But then again Muslims’ ongoing murders of Christians in places like Egypt, Nigeria and Pakistan have not been of much interest to the brain dead lefty journalist club.
I’m so glad these people made this film and that you at Front Page have publicised it.
It indeed did not get the media attention it deserved.
If armed Christians had firebombed a local mosque during Friday prayers, and if the fleeing Muslim survivors had been kidnapped, tortured, denied visite by the red cross, and starved, then — and only then– would there have been the proper attention to this war crime.
Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, And Lord Yahweh will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For Yahweh has spoken.
1 Corinthians 15: 51- 57 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” [Isaiah 25:8]
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Romans 8: 31 – 39: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who indeed did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of]Christ? Will affliction, or turmoil, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE COUNTED AS SHEEP FOR the SLAUGHTER.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witness, and they did not love their life even to death.
Such a beautiful dream …
And those Isis Cowards who hide their faces but God knows whom they all are
Thank you for sharing this with the Frontpage readers.
These Christians are extremely confusing to Isis as they are completely unable to understand why, in the face of horrific death, they would pray quietly in affirmation of their faith and refuse to deny it.
After 9/11, Isis beheading journalist Daniel Pearl and their many rampages against Jews, Christians, and the Yazidi, a dear friend of mine who was a legal immigrant from Malta, having served with the British in WWII, had much to say about knowing the enemy. When Nick Berg a radio tower repairman went to Iraq to repair their radio towers and we heard that Isis had beheaded him, recorded it and posted it on the Internet, we both determined at that time that we needed to know who this enemy was so we watched the footage.
I can tell you that they did not use an extremely sharpened sword that would behead with one swing, no they slowly sawed off his head with this man screaming. I WILL NEVER FORGET witnessing this atrocity.
This taught me in one horrific act exactly who these psychopaths are and very precisely what kind of enemy they are to humanity.
Unless humanity becomes willing to see exactly who these psychopathic purveyors of absolute evil are and remove the blinders of an unwarranted, sympathy for their actions, this mendacious group will continue exacting payment upon the innocent for our unwillingness to stop them.
I just wonder what these screeching liberal-leftists would do if they had to watch them do this.
Knowing your enemy is often extremely disturbing, yet when you do their relentless propaganda falls upon deaf ears.
I have survived many horrors from which there was no escape and watching the world try to delude itself about this ever-encroaching hatred is THE WAKE-UP call for mankind to bravely face this metastasizing cancer against life, the fear of which is keeping us from facing and obliterating this enemy.
This is in answer to both your post, and the following one currently up…
This war crime was NOT condemned by both Muslims and Christians alike. ….. Rather, it was condemned by 100% of the Christians and something like 15% of the Muslims (if even that).
Isis were perplexed because to them it’s a total no-brainer that if you are offered the chance not only to live, but to loot, rape and commit atrocities with impunity, you will take it. Such spiritual power as is present in Islam (there is some, but it does not come from God) does not enable people to grow in goodness – the whole idea is that they have permission to do evil as long as they target the “right” people.
The last thing the narrator says is kind of curious though, “The act was condemned by Muslims and Christians alike”. This must be meant for the sake of whatever ethical framework the film assumes to be the universal default since too many actual Christians and Muslims might know enough about their own respective and distinctive ethical frameworks to be kind of perplexed at it.
They should send in our Special Forces, track down and eliminate these savages with no mercy. But try to get a play up about such an inhuman bunch in NYC – not possible in the NY bubble.
Stephan Morrow
Artistic Director
The Great American Play Series
The local liberal Reform Jewish synagogue won’t put it on. Neither will the local JCC.
Try putting the play on at a local Orthodox Jewish Synagogue. They might go for it. (Be sure to use your letterhead when you correspond.)
Isis didn’t need to video the murders. Jesus has it all, and will play it back to them.
No virgins for them.
Though I cannot in my wildest nightmares imagine what these men went through in their final moments I also ask why they didn’t stand up, get up off their knees and head butt these savages as they knew they were about to die anyway so die on their knees rather than trying to kick them in the balls.
May they rest in peace in the arms of their Lord.
islamism is the new nazism for the 21st century.
That the terrorists saw angles, that my be the truth. Certain segments of our Calvinist brothers dismiss out of hand any talk of the supernatural. I understand the willingness to distance oneself as far as possible from the excesses of the Charismatic movement, but don’t overreact and become a the modern day Saducees
I do some amateur animation work in my spare time, and I can honestly say this short is one of the most moving pieces of animation I’ve seen in a long time. The story is both heartbreaking yet inspirational, and I say this as someone who hasn’t been a particularly observant religious person. The animation itself is bold and expressive in ways that I haven’t seen in many of the other independent animated shorts I come across online. I shouldn’t be surprised that your short received praise from the Disney animation legend Glen Keane because it’s that impactful in what it does.
I truly hope more people, whether they’re Christian or non-Christian, get to see this work you’ve done.