For almost 2000 years, Christians in Egypt were constantly being tortured, martyred and oppressed by rulers. These rulers were infuriated by their failure to pressure the Christians into worshiping their gods and idols. Whilst the Western calendar revolves around the birth of Christ, with the years after the birth of Christ termed “Anno Domino”, the Coptic Calendar starts from 284 A.D.; this was the year Emperor Diocletian killed masses of Christians and is termed “Anno Martyrum” (the years of the martyrs). Persecution has been intertwined in the church’s history and has continued even to this day. The Martyrs of the church are commemorated in a “Synaxarium”, which is one of the readings in the Divine Liturgy.
