Pope condemns murder of Coptic Christians

Vatican City: Pope Francis on Monday denounced the murder of 21 Coptic Christians by ISIL militants in Libya.

The Islamist terrorist organization released a video of the killings on Sunday, reports the Vatican Radio.

Speaking in Spanish to an ecumenical delegation from the Church of Scotland, the Holy Father noted those killed only said “Jesus help me.”

“They were murdered just for the fact they were Christians,” Pope Francis said.

“The blood of our Christian brothers is a witness that cries out,” said the Pope. “If they are Catholic, Orthodox, Copts, Lutherans, it is not important: They are Christians. The blood is the same: It is the blood which confesses Christ.”

Pope Francis said that in remembering “these brothers who have been killed simply for confessing Christ,” Christians should encourage one another in the ecumenical goal, noting the “ecumenism of blood.”

“The martyrs are from all the Christians,” he added.