Two Christians arrested following church attack


Ezbet Basillious
Images from U.S. Copts Association
Police have arrested a Coptic Christian man and woman for allegedly burning down their own house church in the village of Ezbet Basillious, Egypt on July 11, according to a July 17 report from Compass Direct. Christians in the village believe that the arson attack and subsequent arrests of the believers indicate local police corruption and collusion.

When the Church of St. Abaskharion Kellini was set ablaze, the guards stationed at the church had left their posts. The perpetrators reportedly entered the church building through a connecting door from the adjoining residence -- the home of Fulla Assad (30). It took approximately two hours for police to arrive at the church. Assad, her mother-in-law and Reda Gamal (35) were later taken to the police station for questioning. Assad and Gamal have since been arrested and remained in custody at last report. The Egyptian State Security Investigations officers have since followed up on eyewitness testimonies ignored by local police and have arrested three Muslim suspects who were seen entering the church with cans of kerosene and leaving shortly afterwards shouting "Allahu Akbar [God is great]."

Pray that those who are truly guilty will be brought to justice. Pray that Gamal and Assad will be bold witnesses for Christ while in detention. Ask God to encourage and strengthen the Christians in Ezbet Basillious.

To learn more about Egypt's persecuted Christians, click here.

  • 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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    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
    Photo: CSW

    On July 22nd, Egyptian authorities formally charged Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq (a convert from Islam to Christianity) with joining a terrorist organization, stirring unrest and spreading false information. Since converting to the Christian faith in 2016 and joining the Russian Orthodox Church, Saeid experienced persistent rejection from his family and community, as well as intimidation from local police. Despite these challenges, he regularly shared his newfound faith with those around him.

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    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
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    Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.

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    Domes of a Coptic Church building in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Three Christian men were hospitalized after being brutally attacked on November 5th in Ashruba, a village located within the Minya province of Upper Egypt. This is only the latest incident to occur amid a recent surge of sectarian violence throughout the region.

  • 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.