Mourners Assaulted by Muslim Rioters


Pray for those injured in the attacks.
Photo: Morning Star News

Hundreds of people gathered at St. Mark's Cathedral in Abbassia, Cairo, on April 7th for the funeral of four Christians who were killed during an uprising of inter-religious violence in the nearby community of Khosous two days earlier. (Two Muslim men had also died in the conflict.) As the mourners were leaving the service, they were pelted with stones by a growing number of angry Muslim rioters. This quickly escalated into a massive attack on the cathedral involving firearms, petrol bombs and tear gas. Two other Christians died and over 80 people were injured during the riot which lasted five hours. According to reports, some Christians had retaliated in the mounting conflict. As a result, Egyptian officials have arrested four Christian men.

Tensions leading up to the assault ignited Friday when youth spray-painted inflammatory symbols, including a swastika, on an Islamic institution. This led to a quarrel with onlookers in Shubra el-Kheima, located just north of Cairo. The argument spiralled into a street fight involving automatic weapons. Meanwhile, a local imam called on Muslims who owned weapons to "Kill the Christians and cleanse el-Kheima (of) infidels" during Friday prayers. The mob then attacked a Baptist church and damaged a nursery run by St. George Coptic Church, in addition to destroying and looting several Christian-owned businesses. To learn more about what Christians in Egypt are facing, go to the Egypt Country Report.

Please pray for God's peace to infiltrate these areas of conflict, as well as the hearts of the people involved. Ask Him to comfort all who are grieving the loss of loved ones and minister healing to the injured. Also pray that the believers would keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). On behalf of all Egypt's citizens, may the Lord guide the leaders of this nation to promote true justice and equality by honouring Him.

  • 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 Convert Charged with Terrorism
    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq is casually leaning to the side and smiling.
    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.

  • Prisoners Released After Years of Detention
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Photo: ADF International

    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.

  • Three Christians Hospitalized After Stabbing
    Three crosses on Coptic steeples are silhouetted against the sun on the horizon.
    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.