(Reading time: 1 - 2 minutes)
Coptic Monastary - Photo: Wikipedia / Afanous
Pray that Egyptian Christians will display grace and wisdom in their dealings with their persecutors.

A church in Upper Egypt has been closed indefinitely after a throng of angry militant Muslims perpetrated an attack on April 12th, while more than 200 fearful children looked on. As a result, the building was damaged and three people were injured, including two church leaders. Following the attack, police ordered that the church be closed to avoid further violence.

While physical injuries were minimized, some are concerned about the psychological damage posed to the children who were present. Additionally, with Easter celebrations commencing on April 28th for Coptic Christians, there will likely be no place for these followers of Christ to gather, since this was the only church facility in the area.

The incident appears to be sparked by expansion plans to better accommodate a growing congregation. The day before the attack, the village mayor had angrily complained about the construction, accusing the Christians of "treason" and calling for neighbours to take action against the church. To read reports on other incidents of violence against Christians in Egypt, visit our country report.

Please pray for the healing of those injured in the attack, as well as the emotional well-being of the children who were forced to witness this violence. May any further provocation or attack be prevented, replacing strife and discord with God's love and a spirit of unity between the neighbours of this Egyptian community. Pray that His peace and protection will be upon all who are gathering together on the 28th to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Current Ministry Project

VOMC works with international partners to provide a safe place of refuge, counsel and discipleship for Christians from Muslim backgrounds who were forced to flee their homes due to religious pressure from their families, and/or have experienced ostracization from others in their communities because of their identity in Christ.

Project Fund: Underground Church

Country Information

Designation
Persecuted

Population
106,437,241 (July 2021 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: 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.

end

Select a Region

Egypt News

  • More Church Buildings Licenced
    Crosses atop a church.
    A church in Egypt.
    Photo: VOMC

    While the Egyptian government formed a committee in September 2016 to work through 3,730 applications to legalize unlicenced church buildings, the process has been slow. When VOMC last reported on the situation in September 2021, there were still 1,772 applications rem

    ...
  • Christian Father and Son Slain by Terrorists
    A shaded path leading to a church entry
    A Coptic church.
    Photo: Flickr / jipolo (cc)

    A Christian man and his elderly father were shot dead by Islamic terrorists on August 30th while working in their field. Police found the bodies of 40-year-old Hani Waheeb Moussa and his father Salama after family members had lost contact with them. Han

    ...
  • Mob Violence Erupts After Official Approval of Church
    St. George's Church in Cairo
    The Coptic church traces its presence in Egypt back to the first century.
    Photo: Flickr / Edgardo W. Olivera (cc)

    In 2016, a government committee was established in Egypt to work through more than 3,700 applications for the legalization of previously unlicenced church buildings. While the process

    ...
  • Christian Appointed Head of the Supreme Constitutional Court
    Supreme Constitutional Court building
    Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt
    Photo: Wikipedia / Ahmad Badr (cc)

    On February 9th, the Egyptian president officially swore in the new head of the country's Supreme Constitutional Court: Boulos (Paul) Fahmy Eskandar. Judge Eskandar is the first Coptic Christian to be appointed to this positi

    ...