Churches Burning across Egypt

I start this page/discussion to keep track of the ongoing persecution and terrorism of the non-Muslims (mostly Copts) in Egypt.

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BREAKING NEWS:

Burning of Virgin Mary Monastery in Deir Mawas, Minya, Bishop Tadros Monastery in Fayoum and Sohag Diocese’s services building.

Brotherhood supporters continue to demolish and burn Atfih Diocese in Giza [Greater Cairo], a large number of churches in Minya [Upper Egypt], Fayoum, Assiut, Suez, Arish [Sinai], Luxor [south Egypt], the Bible Society headquarters in Cairo, and the Franciscan school in Suez.

Sohag Diocese burnt and destroyed

 

Sohag (Egypt), 14 August /MCN/ by Nader Shukri

 

A number of Islamists broke into the St. George Diocese in Sohag and set fire to the church. Fire trucks arrived too late, after the fire had consumed the building.

 

H.G. Bishop Bakhoum stated that MB supporters had stormed the church, setting fire to the services building and looting all its contents, in addition to assaulting the priests who were inside.

 

Speaking to MCN, eyewitnesses said police forces and firefighters arrived late at the scene, while a number of MB supporters hijacked a fire truck to prevent it from putting the flames.

 

Vehicles transporting armed MB groups were seen by eyewitnesses, as they threatened to attack Copts and unarmed citizens on the streets.

 

Several other governorates in Upper Egypt have witnessed attacks on Copts and churches, after security forces broke up Brotherhood sit-ins at Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares. In Fayoum, the Friends of the Bible Association headquarters was burned, while MB supporters opened fire on a nuns’ school in Beni Suef, and Archangel Michael’s Church in Assiut was besieged. Meanwhile, several villages in Minya have also witnessed attacks targeting Copts’ houses and churches..

 

Two churches attacked in Assiut and Wasta, army protects Two Saints Church in Alexandria

Egypt, 14 August /MCN/ by Nader Shukri

 

The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist current supporters assaulted the Archangel Michael Church in Assiut [Upper Egypt], on Wednesday, as well as properties of citizens and Christians in the area.

 

Security was able to gain control of the situation in the two streets, Namees and Gomhuriya, after clashes with MB supporters around the governorate’s central building.

 

In Wasta City, Beni Suef [Upper Egypt], Father Angelos Maqar, priest of St. George Church in the village, reported, “Militants hurled stones at the church, breaking its windows.”

 

In Alexandria, “Troops secured the church and closed the streets leading to it in case of any violence,” said Joseph Malak, lawyer for the families of Two Saint Church bombing victims.

 

“At the same time, Christian youth went out to several areas to protect the churches, including the church of Maximous and Damadious in Street 45, Sidi Beshr.”

 

He added there are now violent clashes between security forces and Islamists at al-Qa’ed Ibrahim Mosque.

 

Churches in Egypt had canceled morning masses, especially in the provinces of Minya, Assiut and Fayoum, and closed their doors in anticipation of any violence that would target the congregations.

 

It is worth mentioning that Brotherhood supporters have been rioting throughout Egyptian governorates since security forces broke up the sit-in at Rabaa el-Adaweya Square in Nasr City, Cairo. The sit-in was dismantled at 6.00 am on Wednesday morning.

 

Attacks are focused on police stations, churches and Christian homes, particularly in the Upper Egypt governorates, such as Minya. Islamists broke into Virgin Mary and St. Abraam Monastery in Delga village. They set fire to three churches and six services buildings, and marched in the village chanting against the Copts, surrounding their homes and assaulting them with stones, as security was completely absent.

 

The crowd also set fire to a church services building of St. Mina the Wondrous Church in the south of the province, and attacked the Evangelical Baptist church in Beni Mazar.

 

The Islamists also besieged churches in Samalout and Mallawi, and set fire to two churches in the Fayoum governorate [southwest of Cairo] and attacked Coptic homes and burned churches in Suez.

 

Greek Church and two Coptic schools in Suez burned

Suez (Egypt), 14 August /MCN/ by Nader Shukri

 

A number of Muslim Brotherhood and Gamaat Islamiyya extremists burned down the ancient Greek Church on Paradise Street in the Suez governorate, in addition to a monastery and a school. They also set fire to the Franciscan school on el-Geish Street.

 

Governorates throughout Egypt have witnessed attacks on Copts and churches, after security forces broke up Brotherhood sit-ins at Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares. In Fayoum, the Friends of the Bible Association headquarters was burned, while MB supporters opened fire on a nuns’ school in Beni Suef, and Archangel Michael’s Church in Assiut was besieged. Meanwhile, several villages in Minya have also witnessed attacks targeting Copts’ houses and churches.

 Islamists storm St. Mary and St. Abraam Monastery in Upper Egypt, burn three churches and six buildings inside

Minya (Egypt), 14 Augut /MCN/

 

Islamists attacked St. Mary and St. Abraam Monastery in Delga village, Minya [Upper Egypt]. The crowd stormed the monastery and set fire to three churches and six services buildings inside.

 

Supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi have been rioting throughout Egyptian governorates since security forces broke up the sit-in at Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares. The sit-in was dismantled at 6.00 am on Wednesday morning.

 

Attacks are focused on police stations, churches and Christian homes, particularly in the Upper Egypt governorates, such as Minya.

 

The crowd also set fire to a church services building of St. Mina the Wondrous Church in the south of the province, and attacked the Evangelical Baptist church in Beni Mazar. Islamists also besieged churches in the cities of Samalout and Mallawi.

 

Father Selwanes Lotfi, priest of St. Mary and St. Abraam Church told MCN, “The Islamists set fire on the monastery, which includes three churches. They stormed the monastery, setting areas on fire as they went, including the historical St. Mary Church, St. George Church and St. Antony Church.”

 

Witnesses said the house of Fr. Angelous, also a priest of the church, was burnt. They blamed the absence of security forces for the current deteriorating situation witnessed in the village, and noted that a state of panic dominates the Copts of the village due to the siege imposed on their houses by the Islamists.

 

Christians of the area called on security authorities to intervene and prevent a potential massacre.

 

Islamists marched to St. Mary Church in Deir Mawas, chanting against Copts and H.H. Pope Tawadros II. They assaulted the church with stones, breaking glass and windows of the building, and attacked a Coptic-owned shop.

 

A witness told MCN that the march was organized to protest the breakup of the Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares demonstrations. They attacked all that was owned by Copts.

 

Security forces prevented an attempt to storm the village of Beni Ahmed and attack its Coptic residents, exchanging fire with Islamists. The Coptic residents of the villages of Rida, Beni Mazar and Maghagha faced consecutive attacks from Morsi supporters, who opened fire indiscriminately on Christian homes.

 

Islamists threw Molotov cocktails at the Evangelical church in Abu Helal, south Minya, burning the church and its services building.

 

A witness said that masked people on motorcycles used automatic weapons and birdshot on St. Mina’s Orthodox Church, and then threw Molotov cocktails at the Evangelical church.

 

Pastor Samir Sadek, head of Minya's Evangelical Synod, told MCN that a number of extremists attacked the church. He rebuked the absence of the security forces, praising the role performed by the residents who exerted their efforts to contain the fire. He signaled that the fire trucks failed to reach to the church due to the narrow street.

 

The crowd also set fire to a tourist ferry owned by the Coptic Evangelical Authority and another owned by Coptic businessman Samuel Thabet Zaki.

 

MB supporters surround Virgin Mary Church in Qena

 

Qena (Egypt), 14 August /MCN/

 

A number of Brotherhood supporters surrounded the Virgin Mary Church in West Qena [southern Egypt], locking worshipers inside the church. This attack is one of the organized violent measures taken by the MB and Islamic movements, which have increased significantly after security forces broke up the sit-ins at Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares.

 

Speaking to MCN, H.G. Bishop Kyrillos, Nag Hammadi’s bishop, said he learned of MB gatherings headed to Abu Tesht, which is about 35 kilometers from Nag Hammadi, to attack the local diocese.

 

He added he had contacted security forces to protect Copts’ places of worship and their properties.

 

“Dozens of MB supporters and Gamaat Islamiyya surrounded the Virgin Mary’s Church in Qena,” explained a security source to MCN, pointing out that church officials had to close its doors for fear of being attacked by extremists.

 

The city of Qena has witnessed widespread riots by Islamists, while police forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators who attempted to storm the Qena governorate office, while other Islamist groups surrounded the court building in Qena, which was evacuated of its employees.

 

Islamists demolish and burn Coptic diocese in Atfih amid security’s absence

 

Giza (Egypt), 14 August /MCN/ by Nader Shukri

 

Islamists looted, demolished and burned Atfih Coptic Diocese in the Giza governorate [Greater Cairo], during a lack of full security forces.

 

Hundreds besieged the diocese, setting fire to the building, looting its contents and have now begun to destroy the remaining structure.

 

The Copts were able to smuggle Fr. Makorious, priest of the diocese’s church, during the attack.

 

The Church called upon the military to intervene and protect the Copts and diocese in Atfih. Violence in the city is quickly escalating as news spread of the death of an Atfih Islamist during the military’s break-up of the Brotherhood sit-in in Rabaa el-Adaweya Square in Cairo, this morning.

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