Over a Thousand Churches Approved

Church in Egypt - Photo: Pixabay

A committee tasked to approve church licensing in Egypt has announced 127 new licenses to a variety of Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical churches. These licenses bring the total of the country's approved churches to 1,021.

The committee was established following a 2016 law which was supposed to streamline the legalization of churches. Prior to the law, and due to lengthy delays in the country's licensing process, many churches had been built without approval. This frequently led to opposition from the militant members of Egypt's Muslim communities. At present, there remain over 2,600 churches still awaiting approval, after submitting their applications in compliance with the government's requirements.

Along with the licensing, Prime Minister Madbouli demanded that a memo be sent to governors, stressing that these buildings are approved as places of worship only. They are not to be used or disposed of in any other way. For more information relating to the practise of Christianity in Egypt, go to the country report.

Praise God for this encouraging step towards the achievement of greater religious freedom, so followers of Christ can worship without government opposition. May the approval process continue to go well, allowing remaining applications to be expedited without undue delay. Pray that any potential opposition from community members of differing faiths will be abated and, as a result, Christians will be free to gather together for worship without threat or harassment.

  • 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

  • Christian Homes and Businesses Burned
    A water truck is working to douse a fire.
      

    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.

  • Temporary Church Building Burned
    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.

  • Attack on Church Building Site
    Multiple crosses sit atop of a church roof.
    A Coptic church in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Mark Fischer (cc)

    Since 2016, the government of Egypt has been slowly approving the registration of more than 3,700 church buildings that were operating without the required licencing. These buildings were established before 2016, during a time when permits were virtually impossible to get. Although the licencing process now being administered has been long and tedious, thankfully progress is eventually taking place.

  • 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.