Apostolic Vicar Giovanni Martinelli of Tripoli Will Not Leave His Flock - ''We are ready to Bear Witness''

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 21 February 2015 - 10:34:04 | by admin

Fr. Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, has stated that he will stand by his flock in spite of the grave dangers faced by all Christians in Libya.

Bishop Martinelli was one of the few to consistently stand with Pope Benedict XVI in protest against the war in Libya during 2011. He foresaw the dangers and internal destabilization that the war has unleashed. Today, there is a serious danger that Libya could become a base for the ISIS organization as it expands its control of territory there. These facts form the context to the disgraceful beheading of the 21 Coptic Christians by ISIS radicals earlier this week.

Like them, Bishop Martinelli refuses to deny Christ or His people. He has already been 'visited' by Islamic militants at the church of St. Francis. They threated to kill him. ''They came to tell me I have to die''... ''But I want people to know that Fr. Martinelli is well and that his mission could reach its end.''

He has seen the beheaded men who died for Christ. ''I saw the decapitated heads and thought to myself that I could end up like that. And if God wills that I end up having my head cut off, then so be it... Being able to give witness is a precious thing. I thank Our Lord for allowing me to do it, even with martyrdom. I don't know where this road will take me. If it brings me to death, I will say that God has chosen this time for me... I will not budge from here. And I am not afraid.''

The courageous Apostolic Vicar, who has served in Tripoli since 1985, does not want to abandon his small flock. On Vatican Radio, he announced: ''I should stay! How can I leave the Christians alone?'' Among Fr. Martinelli's people are around 300 Philippine workers. He is supported by a team of non-Italian nuns and religious. Some of the Italian Catholics have managed to get out of Libya.

Please pray for Apostolic Vicar Martinelli, his Catholic people and also all the Coptic Christians who are caught up in a very dangerous situation. Fr. Martinelli has also reminded his hearers that, as well as Christians, other Libyan people of good will, who love the Christians and desire a return to good order, are now also suffering. He has called for a concerted effort - that includes Muslim and Arab nations - to, ''start addressing the void, selfishness and economic interests that have led to the deep and tragic fractures within the Libyan nation.''  

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