Christian Woman Brutally Attacked and Killed


Mary Sameh George

Mary Sameh George, a 25-year-old Christian who lived with her parents and sister in Cairo, was brutally attacked and killed on March 28th by pro-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators.

Mary was on her way to deliver groceries and other necessities to a poor family in the Ein Shams area, as she did every Friday, when she was stopped by a group of protesters. When they spotted Mary's gold cross necklace, they dragged her out of the car and repeatedly stabbed her before finally choking her to death.

The family of this young Christian woman was understandably devastated when they learned of the murder. In fact, her fiancé's mother was so grief-stricken that she died shortly after learning of Mary's death.

Bring Mary's family, fiancé and other loved ones to our Lord in prayer, asking Him to grant them His peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Pray also that they will find hope in Christ's resurrection and sure promise that they will be reunited in heaven. Until then, may they look to Jesus for the strength and grace to forgive those who ended Mary's life so tragically. Intercede on behalf of those guilty of this crime, as well as all those in Egypt who oppose the Gospel...that they may come to experience the saving power of Jesus Christ.

For more information on Egypt's persecuted church, please visit the Egypt Country Report.

  • Country Information

    Population
    109,546,720 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Egyptian (99.7), other (0.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (90), Christianity (10)

    Leader
    President Abdelfattah Said El-Sisi (2014)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    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.

Egypt News

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    Two images of a room full of chairs. In the first, the chairs are neatly arranged. In the second, the chairs and interior of the building are burned.
    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.

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    Multiple crosses sit atop of a church roof.
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    Photo: Flickr / Mark Fischer (cc)

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  • An Additional 216 Church Buildings Legalized
    Saint Mark Church in Helipolis
    A church in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Seven years ago, the Egyptian government formed a committee to work through applications to legalize unlicensed church buildings. When the committee was first formed, there were 3,730 outstanding applications. Though the process has been exceedingly slow, thankfully that number has been gradually decreasing. To review previously posted reports on this situation, go to our country report.