Coptic Solidarity Egypt's Ministry of Endowments just announced a new record: in the last six months, yet another 964 mosques were opened. Moreover, since Abdel Fateh al-Sisi became president in 2014, the total number of mosques that have been opened, repaired, or replaced—costing Egypt more than 21 billion pounds—is 13,045. On average, this comes out to over 1,000 … [Read more...]
Another Coptic Church ‘Catches Fire,’ Authorities Blame Candle (Again)
Coptic Solidarity On February 5, a fire broke out inside the Church of the Archangel Michael, in a village of the Qena governorate of Egypt. Civil Protection Forces were able to contain the fire before it spread or caused any casualties. Full investigations have yet to be concluded, but so far security sources said that the fire was likely caused by a lit candle inside the … [Read more...]
The ‘War on Christmas’ (and All Christian Holy Days) in Egypt: How a Persecuted Minority Spends the Holidays
Coptic Solidarity In a recent article for the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum, correctly observed that, Few things foster a sense of common humanity as much as the adherents of one religion offering warm holiday wishes to members of another. Yet some people reject this geniality on principle. Islamists—Muslims intent on returning to a … [Read more...]
Introducing Egypt’s New Anti-Christian Grand Mufti
Coptic Solidarity Proof of Egypt’s official endorsement of “radical” policies that promote intolerance for the “other”—in this case, Christians—continues to mount. Recently we saw how Al Azhar and its Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, allowed for the publication and dissemination of a book that called for the destruction of all churches in Egypt. Now, on the recommendation … [Read more...]
Egypt’s Contempt for Christians: Coptic Funeral Held in Alleyway
Coptic Solidarity In what reports described as a “sad scene,” on October 12, two Coptic Christian clergymen officiated over the funeral of their father, who was also a clergyman. What made the scene particularly sad, however, was that the funeral service and prayers over the dead man were conducted in the middle of a public street—not in the Copts’ church, which Egyptian … [Read more...]