Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (CC)
On July 8th, dozens of local residents had gathered to protest a Coptic church in the Upper Egyptian village of El-Tal El-Qibliya. As the demonstration escalated, the mob threw stones and shouted insults at church members. Several Christians were injured in the attack, and both the church building and the priest's vehicle sustained damages.
Police were deployed to the area and eventually succeeded in stabilizing the situation. In the aftermath, four Christian men were arrested, along with an unknown number of Muslim protesters. The detained believers were released two days later after withdrawing their complaint against those responsible for the attack.
Sadly, this is not the only difficulty faced by members of this church. For many years, Coptic Christians in the village did not have a church building and instead met together in various homes. Eventually, a building was designated as their place of worship with the full knowledge of local residents and security personnel. However, some community members have since expressed opposition to the gatherings. Prior to the recent attack, the priest – Father Pavlos Kamal – had reportedly notified authorities about threats that had been made against the church.
While the Egyptian constitution upholds freedom of worship and belief, there have been several instances of localized opposition against Christian communities. To review previously published reports concerning the persecution of Christians in Egypt, visit our country profile.
- Prayerfully uphold those who were injured and traumatized during the attack, asking the Lord to provide each one of them needed healing, comfort and encouragement.
- Also pray that the funds and practical resources required to repair the mentioned damages to property will be provided.
- May there be a greater understanding and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians throughout Egypt, enabling them to respect and honour one another despite their differing religious affiliations.
- Additionally, please intercede on behalf of the governing committees responsible for approving Christian places of worship in Egypt, praying that they would carry out their responsibilities with fairness, wisdom and efficiency, so that believers can gather freely and without unnecessary delays.
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