Mourners carry a large cross and the coffin of one of the victims of the blast at the Coptic Christian Saint Mark's church (Photo credit: MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images)

New details are emerging that reveal more of what actually happened during the tragic bus attack on May 26th that claimed the lives of 29 Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Terrorists Unleash Deadly Attack on Bus Full of Coptic Christians Heading to Holy Site to Pray

It appears the victims were not only gunned down, but they acted with incredible, courageous faith before their lives were taken in brutal fashion.

The Christians were riding in a bus, on their way to pray at a monastery, when they were gunned down by terrorists. But the attackers didn’t just instantly open fire, they first removed everyone off the bus and asked them each, individually, if they were a Christian. After answering affirmatively, which was a feat of bravery in and of itself, they were then asked to renounce their Christian faith and profess Islam as their religion.

Everyone, including the children, refused to do so. It was after this brave stand that they were mercilessly executed.

President Trump denounced the attacks in a statement on Friday:

This merciless slaughter of Christians in Egypt tears at our hearts and grieves our souls. Wherever innocent blood is spilled, a wound is inflicted upon humanity. But this attack also steels our resolve to bring nations together for the righteous purpose of crushing the evil organizations of terror, and exposing their depraved, twisted, and thuggish ideology.

Speaking on Vatican Radio, Pope Francis described the victims as giants of the faith who stayed strong in the face of evil.

“The victims, amongst which were also children, were killed after having refused to renounce their Christian faith,” he said. He also prayed that God would “welcome these courageous witnesses, these martyrs, in his peace and convert the hearts of the terrorists.”

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the latest in a string of attacks targeting the Coptic Christian community in Egypt.

The courage on display, knowing that their answer would be a certain death sentence, is nothing short of inspirational. Continued prayers for the Coptic Christians in Egypt who remain a favorite target of radical extremists in the Middle East.

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