Teenage Copt killed in the attacks Photo from AINA
Further violence broke out on January 8 in the southern Egyptian towns of Nag Hammadi and Bahjora, only two days after six Christians and a Muslim security guard were killed while exiting a Christmas Eve midnight mass service (click here for the story). Muslim mobs reportedly shouting "Allah is great" and "no God except Allah" used swords, gas cylinders and Molotov cocktails to loot and torch homes, shops and cars owned by Christians. Mary Om Boktor Kyrollos, a Coptic Christian, died from fumes when her home was set ablaze. According to eyewitnesses, water and electricity was cut off and when fire officials finally arrived on scene they had empty water tanks. In the days following the church shooting, sectarian clashes broke out between Christians and Muslims and with authorities. (Sources: Assyrian International News Agency, Voice of America)
Pray for peace in these troubled areas in Egypt. Pray that Christians will respond with Christ-like love and forgiveness to the assailants. Pray for those mourning the loss of loved ones.
To learn more about the plight of Egyptian Christians, click here.
Legal system Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Egypt
Pray on behalf of those who are facing economic and social challenges because of their Christian faith. Ask the Lord to provide for their spiritual and practical needs – further strengthening and emboldening them so they can effectively share the message of the Gospel with others in their communities. May the hearts of those who hear it be open and receptive to the wonderful truths contained in God’s Word.
Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.
Domes of a Coptic Church building in Egypt. Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)
Three Christian men were hospitalized after being brutally attacked on November 5th in Ashruba, a village located within the Minya province of Upper Egypt. This is only the latest incident to occur amid a recent surge of sectarian violence throughout the region.
Late into the evening of April 23rd, Islamic militants set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is located in Egypt's southern Minya province. Although the attackers attempted to prevent the occupants from leaving their burning homes, thankfully there were no reported fatalities.
The temporary church building before and after the arson attack. Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Local Christians in the village of Misha'at Zaafaranah, located within Egypt's Minya Province, are working to get approval to build a place of worship. The required documents have been submitted to the authorities and, for the meantime, the group of believers were meeting in a temporary structure on the land belonging to the church.