Topic: Persecution of Copts in Egypt

[ialmisry]

Horrible details of attacks on Copts in Libya, including torture and killings for refusing to convert to Islam:

http://www.aina.org/news/20131201175026.htm

Lord have mercy!

[mabsoota]

Lord have mercy, and repose the souls of our brave brothers.

[Pharaoh714]

Horrible details of attacks on Copts in Libya, including torture and killings for refusing to convert to Islam:

http://www.aina.org/news/20131201175026.htm

Lord have mercy!

May Christ rest their souls in everlasting peace, and count them with the Martyrs and confessors.

[minasoliman]

(AINA) -- Two unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire on guests exiting the Virgin Church, located in Warrag, Giza. The gunmen fired automatic weapons as the guests exited the church after attending a wedding ceremony. According to Reverend Justus, the pastor of the church, one man, one women and one 8 year old girl were killed, and 18 were injured.

http://www.aina.org/news/20131020182916.htm

Imagine a mother forgiving and praying for those who killed her daughter!  A mother who asks all Egyptians to pray that God enlighten their hearts, that they may repent, who wishes no evil thing be done to them, but that they repent to God, and to have their hearts enlightened by God.  This actually brought a tear to my eye:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQj-qCt2wNU

Translation highlights of the Mother of Mariam Nabil, the martyred 12-year-old girl shot in the Holy Virgin Church in Warraq, Egypt on October 20, 2013:

"I pray that God enlighten their eyes to the truth...

...I know my daughter is with me.  She may be gone with flesh, but her spirit is still alive, comforting and assuring me.

...It's truly a blessing to have someone in heaven.  They do nothing but send us to heaven quicker.  What they think is jihad is really a blessing for us.  We'll all die one day, but what they do in the end makes it quicker for us to go to heaven
...
I wanted her to be a nun in Convent of the Holy Virgin.  The fact that she died in front of the Church of the Holy Virgin is a coincidence...but now she's for the Virgin.
...
I want to tell them who killed my daughter, I saw her!  She's beautiful, and I've never seen her this beautiful before!  ... You took away my chance to hug her and love her, so I asked her and I asked God to see her.  And God granted me that I may see her.  She was beautiful...white robe, long hair, light all around.  ... I was assured.
...
Host:  Truthfully, you have an amazing sense of forgiveness for many of us who do not understand this forgiveness! ... usually people in your situation wish death upon these killers, and in fact, to kill them themselves!
Mother: I don't want to kill them.  I don't want them to die.  God forbid anything bad happen to them.  God forbid they die before they repent.  I desire that they repent before they get into the hands of our Lord.
...
The door of repentance is open.  We always pray to God, "Oh Lord, if there's anything evil in us, please clean it away!" I wish them likewise.
...
One last thing:  I want the Egyptian people to know that we have greater weapons than the weapons used by the killers.  We have prayers and fastings!  No greater weapons than these!"

[mabsoota]

wow, she is awesome, like our saints of old.
may God reward her and give her and all the family and friends great comfort and peace.

[Salpy]

What a wonderful Christian woman!

[Tamara]

Amazing. These Coptic Christians are an inspiration for the whole world to turn to Christ.

[CoptoGeek]

New Jersey: Muslim Brotherhood Attack on Coptic Bishop
By Raymond Ibrahim on December 12, 2013 in From The Arab World, Muslim Persecution of Christians

Followers of the Muslim Brotherhood reportedly tried to assault Coptic Bishop Paul (“Boula” in Arabic), who represents the Coptic Church in Egypt’s 50-member constitution committee, during his visit to the inauguration of Coptic Bishop David in New Jersey.

http://www.raymondibrahim.com/from-the-arab-world/new-jersey-muslim-brotherhood-attack-on-coptic-bishop/

[mabsoota]

thank God they didn't seem to get far enough inside the building.
bishop boula is a lovely, Godly man who i have seen when he visited uk.
may God protect him and all Christians.

[minasoliman]

One of the bravest Egyptians ever, a great saint in the sense of the word:

Muhammad Hijāzī, born in Port Said in 1982, converted to Christianity in 1998 at the age of 16. Now 31, he was arrested on December 4, 2013 in the governorate of Minya on charges of espionage, inciting sectarian tension through evangelism, and unlicensed photography and journalism.

In 2007 Hijāzī became the first Egyptian convert to Christianity to petition the state to change the religion field on his ID card, and has changed his name to Bishoy Armia Boulos. According to his former lawyer, Mamdūh Nakhlah, had anyone else but Hijāzī been working in Minya, no charges would have been filed.

http://arabwestreport.info/year-2013/week-50/7-christian-convert-arrested-egypt-details-and-background

[dzheremi]

Absolutely. I've followed the Mohammed Hegazy case for the last several years. What a brave, brave man. A true beacon of light for us all. If I remember correctly, his wife also converted to Christianity and they have a daughter, so some people in Egypt want to put pressure on them by saying that if the daughter does not choose Islam by age 10 (or some such), she will be executed together with her parents. Sick. May God preserve the entire family.

[Stavro]

http://www.light-dark.net/topic/24675

Bullets fired from a car and targeting St. Mary's Church, the residence of Anba Domatius, Bishop of October 6 City, in Cairo. The security officer, Muhamed Taha, in charge of protecting the church was killed in the attack. May God have mercy on his soul. No other casualities occured.   

[minasoliman]

http://www.light-dark.net/topic/24675

Bullets fired from a car and targeting St. Mary's Church, the residence of Anba Domatius, Bishop of October 6 City, in Cairo. The security officer, Muhamed Taha, in charge of protecting the church was killed in the attack. May God have mercy on his soul. No other casualities occured.   

He though a "Samaritan", but more than a Good Samaritan, gave his life for the Church.  May his memory be eternal in the Lord!

[Stavro]

http://www.light-dark.net/topic/24675

Bullets fired from a car and targeting St. Mary's Church, the residence of Anba Domatius, Bishop of October 6 City, in Cairo. The security officer, Muhamed Taha, in charge of protecting the church was killed in the attack. May God have mercy on his soul. No other casualities occured.   

He though a "Samaritan", but more than a Good Samaritan, gave his life for the Church.  May his memory be eternal in the Lord!

Ya rab. 

The officer fired back with his gun, and managed to hit one of the five criminals who carried the attack, but it was not enough confronting of two autmatic gun machines as per the eye witnesses. 

[Stavro]

The martyrdom of a Syrian Family in Alexandria, Egypt:

On Monday, January 17, 2014, A Syrian family residing in El-Ibrahimia district of Alexandria, Egypt, was killed by Islamists. The family  consists of the father, Youssef Nakhla, working in tourism in Sharm El-Sheikh, and the mother, Mona Nakhla, a 4-year old child, Michel Youssef and his young aunt, Abeer Hanna, have been stabbed to death and multilated alive. Their home was put on fire in an attempt to cover for the crime details.

The police statement mentions that the family was loyal to Bashar EL-Asaad. Egyptian media did not mention that they are Syrian but stated their Christianity.

Pray for us , family of martyrs.
 

[Mor Ephrem]

Pray for us , family of martyrs.
 

Amen!

Christian Syrian Family Slaughtered in Egypt
by OCP on FEBRUARY 19, 2014

A Christian Syrian family living in Alexandria, Egypt, was barbarically stabbed to death Monday in their home in the al-Ibrahimya neighborhood, Arabic media are reporting.

The family consisted of a father, 44, his wife, 35, their 6-year-old son, Michael, and the wife’s brother.

After the murders, the house, where the family had been living for years, was set on fire by the murderers before being put out by authorities.

http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/news/2014/02/christian-syrian-family-slaughtered-in-egypt/

New Martyr St Michael Youssef:

[minasoliman]

Lord, have mercy!

Pray for us new martyred family of Christ!

[Stavro]

Seven Copts were killed in Bani Ghazi, Libya, by islamic militias.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/24/us-libya-egyptians-idUSBREA1N13V20140224

It is the only link in English by a known news agency that google came up with.

The seven Copts were from Upper Egypt, Suhag, and were working in construction. Their bodies was found on a beach in Bani Ghazi, killed in an execution style.

Anba Macarius, general bishop of Menia, Egypt, shed some light on the incident. The youngest of the Egyptian Christians was 16 years, and a muslim Libyan eye witness to the massacre has said that the murders have given the martyrs the ultimatum to convert to Islam or be killed. The choose martyrdom and should be considered martyrs.

In the funeral, their families and the congregations accused the MB and their closest ally, the US, of the killings.   

[Antonious Nikolas]

Seven Copts were killed in Bani Ghazi, Libya, by islamic militias.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/24/us-libya-egyptians-idUSBREA1N13V20140224

It is the only link in English by a known news agency that google came up with.

The seven Copts were from Upper Egypt, Suhag, and were working in construction. Their bodies was found on a beach in Bani Ghazi, killed in an execution style.

Anba Macarius, general bishop of Menia, Egypt, shed some light on the incident. The youngest of the Egyptian Christians was 16 years, and a muslim Libyan eye witness to the massacre has said that the murders have given the martyrs the ultimatum to convert to Islam or be killed. The choose martyrdom and should be considered martyrs.

In the funeral, their families and the congregations accused the MB and their closest ally, the US, of the killings.   

May the Seven Martyrs of Libya intercede for us at the Throne of God.

[mabsoota]

Lord have mercy.
may God give us all strength to stand firm and spread His love whatever the cost.
may God give strength and mercy to all those in east europe too.

[minasoliman]

A Coptic woman, Mary George, was reportedely stabbed to death by pro-Morsi supporters in the same area. 

From:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/97767/Egypt/Politics-/Brotherhood-and-police-clashes-leave--dead-in-Ain-.aspx
(WARNING: contains some politic information; I'm only addressing the fact that in this political and volatile situation, yet another Copt was brutally murdered by Islamists).

Holy New Martyr, Mary George, may your blessed memory be eternal and may you pray for us!

Lord, have mercy!

[minasoliman]

A Coptic woman, Mary George, was reportedely stabbed to death by pro-Morsi supporters in the same area. 

From:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/97767/Egypt/Politics-/Brotherhood-and-police-clashes-leave--dead-in-Ain-.aspx
(WARNING: contains some politic information; I'm only addressing the fact that in this political and volatile situation, yet another Copt was brutally murdered by Islamists).

Holy New Martyr, Mary George, may your blessed memory be eternal and may you pray for us!

Lord, have mercy!

More info from copticworld:

Mary Sameh George, a 25-year-old, was leaving church near Ain Shams when her car was stopped by angry Muslim Brotherhood protesters (allege Coptic officials and the government).

Mary was dragged from her car, beaten, stabbed 16 times and then strangled to death. Her car was then set on fire.

https://www.copticworld.org/articles/3358/

[Salpy]

Holy Martyr Mary, pray for us!

[Santagranddad]

May she rest in peace.

[Antonious Nikolas]

May God repose her and may she pray for us before His Throne.

[Mor Ephrem]

I'm sorry if this is an insensitive question, but given how frequently these killings happen and the reasons for which they happen, other than the popular acclamation of such people as martyrs and saints, has the Church given any thought to proclaiming them as such formally?  Or is there a desire to wait or otherwise not rock the boat? 

[minasoliman]

I'm sorry if this is an insensitive question, but given how frequently these killings happen and the reasons for which they happen, other than the popular acclamation of such people as martyrs and saints, has the Church given any thought to proclaiming them as such formally?  Or is there a desire to wait or otherwise not rock the boat? 

Usually for religious killings like these, a prominent bishop presides over the funeral, giving a sermons of what is practically the silent agreement among what any other bishop or the patriarch himself would say, that these are martyrs, and how blessed they are that they are praying for us now.  It's not like there is an official Synodal proclamation, but every time this happens, even the late pope HH Pope Shenouda would say something very similar when these killings occur.  In a way, it's semi-formal.

[Salpy]

A tangent about the EU, the US, and hell was split off and put into the private politics forum. 

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,57618.new.html#top

If anyone wants to be admitted into the private forum, they can pm Fr. George for admission.

[Salpy]

Islamists Torch Christians' Shops in South Egypt
Posted 2014-06-02 17:56 GMT
(AP) -- A security official in Egypt says a mob of angry Islamists has burned shops owned by Coptic Christians near the ancient city of Luxor hours before a trial for a Coptic Christian accused of blasphemy.

http://www.aina.org/news/20140602125626.htm

[Severian]

Islamists Torch Christians' Shops in South Egypt
Posted 2014-06-02 17:56 GMT
(AP) -- A security official in Egypt says a mob of angry Islamists has burned shops owned by Coptic Christians near the ancient city of Luxor hours before a trial for a Coptic Christian accused of blasphemy.

http://www.aina.org/news/20140602125626.htm

We'll see what comes of this "investigation." Let's hope it's not just another farce.

[Severian]

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2014/06/16/2-christians-kidnapped-egypts-sinai-peninsula

2 Coptic Christians kidnapped in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula

Dude, Sinai's a mess.

[Salpy]

More bad news:

Egyptian Christian Teacher Sentenced for 'Insulting Islam'
http://english.ahram.org.eg
Posted 2014-06-15 21:18 GMT

A Coptic Christian school teacher has been sentenced to six months in prison on charges of insulting Islam.

...

According to a year-old report by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), Emad didn't insult Islam, only "presented a comparison between religions in ancient, middle and modern ages as mentioned in the curriculum".

The report, which warned of similar cases becoming "a tool to oppress minorities", added that during investigations the majority of Emad's students denied that she had insulted Islam in her class...

Read more here:

http://www.aina.org/news/20140615161816.htm

[CoptoGeek]

The Muslim Brotherhood kill Coptic man and drag him in the streets
Amany Moussa | 18 June 2014

In their demonstration in October 6 city yesterday, elements of the terrorist group of the Muslim Brotherhood killed and dragged a Coptic man called Shenouda, 25 years old, in the streets.
Police were reported and the matter is still under investigation.

http://www.copts-united.com/English/Details.php?I=1140&A=14681

[Severian]

The Muslim Brotherhood kill Coptic man and drag him in the streets
Amany Moussa | 18 June 2014

In their demonstration in October 6 city yesterday, elements of the terrorist group of the Muslim Brotherhood killed and dragged a Coptic man called Shenouda, 25 years old, in the streets.
Police were reported and the matter is still under investigation.

http://www.copts-united.com/English/Details.php?I=1140&A=14681

May the Lord repose his soul.

To be perfectly fair, while Christians are far more likely to experience such barbarism, the MB terror group has also killed many Egyptian Muslims who oppose their treachery.

[Severian]

http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-jails-killers-coptic-christians-201823181.html

Egypt jails killers of Coptic Christians

Cairo (AFP) - A court in Egypt Sunday jailed three people for life and two to seven years for creating a "terrorist" group and killing four Copts in 2010, a judicial official said.

Another was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison, while a further 19 defendants were acquitted, the same source said.

They were accused of "forming an illegal group and using terrorist methods to target the police, foreign tourists and the Copts".

Justice, finally.

[Alpo]

Apparently Egypt's new goverement is taking seriously the persecution of Christians. Are they trying to buy international favour or are they genuinely concerned over their citizens?

[Severian]

Apparently Egypt's new goverement is taking seriously the persecution of Christians. Are they trying to buy international favour or are they genuinely concerned over their citizens?

They have a bigger fish to fry, the MB. So they want to consolidate a strong support base from the MB's archenemies, the Christians. That, and I feel as if there has been a genuine change in the social atmosphere. A transition from religious conservatism to nationalism and secularism.

[Alpo]

Apparently Egypt's new goverement is taking seriously the persecution of Christians. Are they trying to buy international favour or are they genuinely concerned over their citizens?

They have a bigger fish to fry, the MB. So they want to consolidate a strong support base from the MB's archenemies, the Christians. That, and I feel as if there has been a genuine change in the social atmosphere. A transition from religious conservatism to nationalism and secularism.

That's nice. Hopefully they don't let nationalism and secularism get out of hand like it has in Turkey.

[minasoliman]

Journalist Bishoy Armia given 5 years in jail for inciting sectarianism

Journalist who made waves in 2008 over his public conversion to Christianity is accused of misrepresenting Christian oppression

Ahram Online , Monday 23 Jun 2014

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/104553/Egypt/Politics-/Journalist-Bishoy-Armia-given--years-in-jail-for-i.aspx

So he talks about how Coptic people are oppressed and gets jailed.  Great 

[Severian]

^He was allowed to change his name from Mohammed Hegazy to Bishoy Armia?

Well, that's a step, I guess...

[minasoliman]

^He was allowed to change his name from Mohammed Hegazy to Bishoy Armia?

Well, that's a step, I guess...

I'm not sure if he was successful yet.  He is self-described at least as Bishoy Armia (amazingly, even he changed his last name)

[Salpy]

Christian Convicted of 'Blasphemy' in Egypt for 'Liking' Facebook Page
Morning Star News
Posted 2014-06-25 20:05 GMT

Judge Hazim Hany of Armant Criminal Court found Kerolos Shouky Attallah, 29, of Al-Mahamid village near Luxor, guilty of violating two articles of the Egyptian Penal Code -- Article 98F, defaming a divinely revealed religion, and Article 176, inciting sectarian violence.

Attallah was charged for "liking" an Arabic-language Facebook page administered by an anonymous group of Christian converts known as the Knights of the Cross. His attorney, Mohamed Ahmed Abd-Alaal, said Attallah did not make any comments on the site, share any of the postings or upload anything to it. Attallah promptly removed his name from the page once he realized the Facebook page offended some Muslims.

...

Read more here:

http://www.aina.org/news/20140625150553.htm

[Salpy]

It's been two months since Coptic Christians in an Upper Egypt village endured a traumatic sequence of events ending in heavy police abuse. The victims still have not received any justice from the state security authorities who broke the law and violated its citizen's human rights.
On Sept. 16, in Deir Gabal al-Teir village, Egyptian security forces ambushed several Coptic homes in the middle of the night. They proceeded to steal and destroy the families' belongings before dragging dozens of residents out of their beds, binding their hands behind their backs and beating them with batons. The police then proceeded to drag them to the police station by a single rope.

The security forces collectively punished the villagers in response to a demonstration initiated by a group of Copts the previous day. They were protesting outside the station to pressure the police to investigate the disappearance that initially occurred nearly two weeks earlier, of 39-year-old Coptic woman Iman Morqos Saroufim.

Read more here:

http://www.aina.org/news/20141125154405.htm

[Stavro]

21 Copts were martyred in Libya today by Islamists.

[Salpy]

Lord have mercy.  I read earlier that ISIS claimed to have them, but that no one was sure if they were dead or alive.  This is sad news.