Vatican City, 13 August 2013: Christians in Egypt are suffering increased persecution
in the wake of the violent protests which have followed the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi.
The former president was removed from power by the military on July 3 after months
of protests against his regime. The Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters in turn
began protesting his overthrow and calling for his reinstatement. The political
turmoil has reportedly spurred increased persecution of Christians and other minority
groups. Some of these include the death of a Coptic Catholic priest, the burning down
of homes, and a series of kidnappings. Pope Tawadros II of the Egyptian Coptic Church,
for instance, cancelled public meetings due to security concerns. Even though Morsi’s
overthrow has been followed by deadly protests and a rise in persecution, however,
Christians say they are hopeful for the changes ahead following removal of the former
president. UK director of Aid to the Church in Need, Neville Kyrke-Smith, was in
Egypt in the days leading up to and following Morsi’s overthrow, and told Ann Schneible
the “expectations were that really there would be a change in government, and a change,
I think, in general, for the better”: better for the more than 8 million Catholics
in Egypt, for the poor, for society, and for the economy. “What I found fascinating,
from a Catholic perspective, was the hope of the young people,” he said. After meeting
with young members of the Legion of Mary in one of the parishes, for instance, he
said the sentiments he received from them was: “We love Egypt. We love God. We are
Christians. We are Egyptians. And we wish to remain here.” During his visit to
Egypt, Kyrke-Smith said he witnessed the “extraordinary strength of the Christian
community.” “That’s not to take away from the fear and anxiety that’s there at
the moment,” he said, but he noted how there is nonetheless a “sense of hope, of trust
in God, which was extraordinary for me to find in the midst of political turmoil.”Source:
VR Eng