Story thread · 4 reports / 2 sources

How a new Texas parish reminds us that the age of Christian martyrs is not over

conservativereview.com · 12dShare

The newest Catholic parish in Arlington, Texas, is named for Matthew Ayariga, one of 21 men murdered by Islamic State terrorists on a Libyan beach in February 2015. Ayariga was a Ghanaian migrant worker captured alongside 20 Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christians. Little is known about his life before then, including whether he was already a Christian. Some accounts say the faith of his fellow prisoners inspired him to convert during their captivity, while others suggest that he had previously embraced Christianity. When they asked whether she had a weapon, Stang raised her Bible. 'This is my only weapon,' she said. What is known is that Ayariga chose to identify himself with the Copts when their captors demanded that the men renounce Christ. “Their God is my God,” he reportedly said before he was beheaded with them. Last week, Michael Olson, bishop of Fort Worth, announced the establishment of St. Matthew Ayariga Catholic Church, the first Catholic parish anywhere in the world placed und

First report: Texas' newest Catholic parish takes name of martyr beheaded by ISIS: 'A testimony to the victory of Christ' — theblaze.com, 14d