Fr. Boules George – A Message to Those Who Kill Us

Father Boules George gives a sermon during the Eve of Monday Pascha following the two bombings on Palm Sunday that took place at Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church in Tanta and Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria.

Find below the transcription of this powerful sermon.

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What will we say to them?

THANK YOU

The first thing we will say is “Thank you very, very much,” and you won’t believe us when we say it.

You know why we thank you? I’ll tell you. You won’t get it, but please believe us.

You gave us to die the same death as Christ–and this is the biggest honor we could have. Christ was crucified–and this is our faith. He died and was slaughtered–and this is our faith. You gave us, and you gave them to die.

We thank you because you shortened for us the journey. When someone is headed home to a particular city, he keeps looking at the time. “When will I get home? Are we there yet?” Can you imagine if in an instant he finds himself on a rocket ship straight to his destination? You shortened the journey! Thank you for shortening the journey.

We thank you because you gave to us to fulfill what Christ said to us: “Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3). We were lambs; our only weapons: our faith and the church we pray in. I carry no weapon in my hand. We are so grateful that you helped us fulfill this saying of Christ.

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HG Bishop Angaelos at a Congressional Hearing on Human Rights Abuses in Egypt

HG Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Church

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate use
10 December 2013

Coptic Orthodox Church UK
Media and Communications Office

Coptic Orthodox Church (Europe)
Media and Communications Office

 His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom testified at a Congressional Hearing on ‘Human Rights Abuses in Egypt’ in Washington DC on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2013.

Holy Fire: Egyptian Christians Worship in Joy and Expectation | Rev. Mae Elise Cannon

Holy Fire: Egyptian Christians Worship in Joy and Expectation | Rev. Mae Elise Cannon.

Here is the latest blog post of my dear friend and good WV colleague Rev Mae Cannon, a great supporter of the Church in Egypt..

World Watch Monitor – Christianity in Danger of Becoming Extinct in Its Birthplace

UK historian says Christians in Middle East are endangered species

Last month, World Watch Monitor released a report, Beyond Count, highlighting the alarming frequency with which Christians are fleeing the Middle East. Now a British historian has added his voice to those concerns.

By Dr. Jenny Taylor

Respected UK historian Tom Holland told a briefing in London this week that the world is watching the effective extinction of Christianity from its birthplace.

In an apocalyptic appraisal of the worsening political situation in the region, a panel of experts provided a mass of evidence and statistics for the end of the region’s nation states under the onslaught of militant Islam.

“In terms of the sheer scale of the hatreds and sectarian rivalries, we are witnessing something on the scale of horror of the European Thirty Years War,” said Holland.

Statement by the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem about the Crisis in Egypt

August 2013

“Blessed be Egypt my people…” (Isaiah 19:25)

We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, follow with great concern the dreadful situation in Egypt, which suffers from internal divisions, deliberate violence and terroristic acts against innocent people, both Muslims and Christians. Government institutions were attacked, a great number of Egyptian soldiers and policemen have been killed, public property was destroyed, and Christian churches were desecrated. The desecration and burning of churches is an unprecedented scandal and goes against the values of tolerance, lived in Egypt for centuries. We appreciate the fact that many Muslim compatriots have stood by the side of Christians in defending churches and institutions.

Understanding the Present Situation in Egypt – SAT-7

Understanding the Present Situation in Egypt – SAT-7.

Terence Ascott, CEO of SAT-7 on the situation in Egypt.

12 Years Old Egyptian Boy, A Political Genious

No comment necessary.

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World Watch Monitor: Egypt is at a crossroads, says Coptic Bishop

Summary

A “big force” is pushing Egypt towards greater conservatism and religious extremism, according to Bishop Thomas of the El-Qussia and Mair Diocese in Upper Egypt.

However, he said he still believes Egypt can enjoy transformation of a different kind – towards true democracy, gender equality and religious tolerance.

Democracy does not mean the rule of the majority, he said, but a responsibility for the leaders of the country to ensure that all members of society are able to express themselves.

Gender equality for Bishop Thomas means “the day, which will come, when a family in Upper Egypt in a very poor area will have the same joy when they give birth to a baby girl, as they would have with a baby boy.”

And religious freedom means a transformation from religious rigidity to spiritual openness, he said: “I’m sorry, I’m a bishop. I cannot say I want to transform the society to a secular society, but I want the society to respect spirituality and be open to spirituality. Openness is the key word for us.”

The Bishop, speaking in London on Tuesday (May 21), said that in the two years since President Hosni Mubarak’s deposition, Egypt has enjoyed improved freedom of speech, and until that freedom is taken away, he said there will always be hope.

Egypt is at a crossroads, says Coptic Bishop

Does Egypt’s Draft Constitution Provide for Religious Freedom?

December 06, 2012

The Constituent Assembly of Egypt came out with a draft constitution on Nov. 29, and a referendum will be held for its adoption on Dec. 15. The draft prepared by the Islamist- dominated assembly shows where the Muslim Brotherhood stands on the role of Shari’a in public life and human rights as understood by the international community.

President Mohamed Morsi, who is from the Brotherhood’s political wing, is going ahead with the constitutional referendum despite an ongoing uprising over his Nov. 22 declaration that no one – not even the courts – can challenge his decisions until a new constitution is in place. Morsi wants people to believe that the constituent assembly hurried to prepare the draft, and the referendum is being held in haste, so that the period of his newly acquired supreme authority is short.

However, anti-Morsi protests increased after the date of the referendum was announced. The president did not want to give enough time to the people to discuss the proposed provisions.

Prayer Request from Egypt

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Dear Friends,

I am writing to ask for your prayers today as hopefully hundreds and thousands of Egyptians will be protesting the autocratic dictatorial powers President Morsi has taken upon himself and the unrepresentative constitution he wants to impose on Egyptians.

Egypt has been a Muslim nation for a long time but what is different today is that the Islamist Government is trying to impose a particularly conservative view of Islam on the population in general.  While this will not, in the first instance, affect the daily lives of Christians, this narrow interpretation of Islam will seriously affect the many millions of Muslims in Egypt who are more moderate and believe that Islam can co-exist within the 21th century world.

The hope of the protestors today is to come out in significant numbers so that the Government and the world will take notice of them.  Last Tuesday hundreds of thousands and maybe up to a million people protested in Tahrir Square where the January 25th Revolution started two years ago.  Immediately after that on Saturday a counter demonstration took place at Cairo University with hundreds of thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters who support the President and the new constitution.  As a result of these demonstrations, Egypt is divided between Islamists and the rest of the population.

Habemus Papam – Biserica Ortodoxa Copta are un nou papa

Dupa moartea fostului cap al bisericii Copte din Egipt, credinciosii au petrecut mai multe luni plingindu-l pe acesta. Apoi, saptamina trecuta, 2500 de delegati electori, atit clerici cit si laici, au votat candidatii lor preferati pentru deminiatea de viitor papa copt. Primii trei au fost:

– Episcopul Rafael – 54 e ani, episcop auxiliar pentru centrul orasului Cairo;

– Parintele Rafael Ava Mina, 70 de ani, monah la manastirea Sf. Mina;

– si Episcopul Tawadros.60 de ani, arhiepisco de Beheira, in Delta Nilului.

What Lies Ahead in Egypt?

June 22, 2012

Tens of thousands of Egyptians are once again converging on Cairo’s Tahrir Square following the decision of the military generals to postpone the results of the runoff presidential election that were expected on June 21. The protests are also against the military council’s move to strip the president’s office of its most important powers.

Meanwhile, the two presidential candidates, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and leader of Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party Mohammed Morsi, are both claiming victory. Morsi, who Christians fear will marginalize the minority, seems more likely to win initially according to media reports, but some claim Shafiq is using back room deals to ensure his victory.

However, just as the votes were being counted on June 17, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has been ruling the country since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, announced amendments to the interim constitution, granting key powers to itself.

Rev. Samih Mouris on the Situation of Christians in Egypt

Munther Isaac interviews Rev. Samih Mouris, Pastor of Kasr El Dobareh in Cairo, Egypt

Since Rev. Mouris could not participate at the conference in Bethlehem, this interview was presented to participants in recorded form.

Egyptian Christians Mourn Loss of Church Leader

Pope Shenuda, foemer head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt

SAT-7 International Council Extends Condolences to Coptic Orthodox Church

Limassol, Cyprus – March 28, 2012

On March 17, 2012, Coptic Pope Shenouda III died at the age of 88 as a result of health complications related to old age. SAT-7 interrupted its normal schedules to broadcast the state funeral live from St. Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo. The SAT-7 International Council, at a scheduled meeting after the funeral, extended its condolences to the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest Christian community in the whole of the Middle East.

Egypt: Legal Cases and Threats Against Christians

Egyptian Christians have requested our prayers following three incidents in recent weeks.

On 4th March a court sentenced Rev. Makarios Boulos to six months’ imprisonment for a minor violation of buildings regulations. Rev. Makarios is the priest of St. George’s Church in El Marinab, Aswan province, for which we requested prayer last September and October. Recall that false rumours that the church had failed to secure planning permission for renovation work led to an arson attack by a Muslim mob on 30th September in which the building was badly damaged. Recall too that this destruction and the authorities’ failure to provide adequate protection prompted demonstrations in Cairo by Christians and other sympathisers which were violently interrupted on 9th October with the loss of 27 lives.

Egyptian Christians Say Christian Political Party Is Not Solution To Attacks On Coptics

Egyptian Christians Say Christian Political Party Is Not Solution To Attacks On Coptics.

As a participant in this meeting, I fully agree with our friends in Egypt. A Christian party in that country will poison even more the atmosphere in that country.

11 December – Day of Prayer for Egypt and the Middle East

Dear Friends,

Please join me in praying for Egypt and the Middle East this weekend.

All of us have watched with interest the political and social changes in the Middle East since January and have been praying for the region.

The American Baptist Churches USA have called for a special day of prayer for Egypt and the Middle East on 11^th December. They are encouraging Christians around the world to join them in this day of prayer.

The Islamists vs. The Markets

Religious Dispatches has just published an excellent article on the Arab Spring and its political and religious implications, written by Haroon Moghul, a fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a senior editor at the Islamic Monthly and a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. Here are some significant quotes (emphases mine).

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…
In Morocco, recent elections have put forward an Islamist party with the same name as Turkey’s governing party—they are not connected, however—and the King has nominated an Islamist as Prime Minister as well. The Moroccan King saw the Arab spring arrived around him, and pushed reforms to preempt any uprising in his country.

In Tunisia, the Islamists won a plurality of the vote; now, the latest news from Egypt suggests that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, as well as the primary Salafi party, al-Nour, are doing quite well. (Jadaliyya has a great and exhaustive round-up, with all the detail you ever wanted). There will be three rounds of voting for the lower house of the Egyptian Parliament, and these results so far only reflect the first round. There will be separate procedures for the upper house and for president.

Could “Arab spring” turn into “Christian winter”?

A WCC interview with David Victor R. Youssef, from the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services.

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Churches in Egypt are praying and helping migrants, who flee home due to political turmoil, violence and uncertain future. There is a great need to develop stable democratic societies if the “Arab spring” is to bear fruits. Or else it might turn into an “Arab winter” with religious minorities at the risk of persecution.

David Victor R. Youssef expressed this concern at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Global Ecumenical Network on Migration meeting taking place in Beirut, Lebanon from 5-7 December, organized by the WCC office for Just and Inclusive Communities and hosted by the Middle East Council of Churches.

Youssef works for the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services and was interviewed by Naveen Qayyum, the WCC staff writer.

Egyptian Christian Ask for Our Prayers

Egyptian Christians request our prayers as Egypt prepares to commence Parliamentary elections on 28th November (the elections are in stages and are scheduled to conclude on 10th March 2012). Within the current context of protest, violence and lack of security, Christians have several specific concerns.

First, Christians are concerned that the pattern of protest and violent response is nurturing an environment of indifference towards violence, including sectarian violence.

Egypt’s Remarkable Prayer Gathering – UPDATE

November 18, 2011

Dr. Wafik Wahba, Associate Professor of Global Christianity

An estimated 70,000 Egyptian Christians gathered on November 11, 2011 for praise, worship, and prayer at St. Simon Church in Cairo while millions around the globe followed the event live on TV and the Internet. This was a significant event: It was the largest Christian gathering in the modern history of Egypt; it brought together, for the first time, all Christian denominations: Coptic Orthodox, Catholics, and all branches of Protestant and Evangelical Christians. The prayer meeting that started at 6:00 PM continued uninterrupted till 6:00 AM the following day!

The focal point of the gathering was repentance and forgiveness. The leaders of all churches came together in unprecedented unity to lead thousands of people in worship and prayer for Egypt: “We are here to rend our hearts before the Lord and repent for all our sins,” said one priest as he reflected on Joel chapter 2. Before leading the people in prayers of repentance he reminded all church leaders, Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” – Joel 2:17. Another priest prayed for the healing of the land and for God’s intervention to save the country from a disastrous famine as the Nile is drying up at alarming rate. The powerful time of praise and worship focused on God’s glory being declared, once again, over the land of Egypt with several songs on the theme of “Blessing Egypt”. One of the highlights of the event was a prayer of dedication, wherein the country and its people were covenanted to the Lord to live a consecrated life.

Today’s News from Cairo and a request for prayer

Monday, November 21, 2011 6:03 AM

Beloved friends and prayer partners,

Thank you for your emails and concern for the situation in Egypt at present, we greatly appreciate and need your continued, persistent prayer for our country!

We are all fine, the church building is fine, but many of our church members have been very close to the conflict in the last two days in downtown Cairo. Last night, as the conflict between the demonstrators and the Egyptian army escalated and became extremely violent, we opened the church building to be used as a clinic to treat the wounded. Tens of people came and received
treatment from various doctors, and many of our church members were there to help as needed.

11 November – International Day of Prayer for Egypt

Millions of Christians worldwide will participate in the global Day of Prayer for Egypt. This ceremony will be held in St. Simon Monastery in Moqattam City on Friday November 11.

This ceremony will be held to support Egypt and the Egyptians. Many countries in Europe and the U.S. will hold the ceremony at the same time and all Christian sects will participate in the ceremonies as well.

Some Muslims will also hold prayers for Egypt at the same time.

Statement by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK

Dear all,

Peace and grace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Due to the current situation in Egypt please find attached a
statement from HG Bishop Angaelos. This statement is for open
circulation.

Egypt – A Celebration of Friendship

Friends – Sheik Abdel Rahman & Fr. Boulos Nassif

Prison Fellowship (which is also present in Romania) has published recently an amazing documentary about the common work among Christian and Muslim prisoners in Egypt of a Coptic Catholic priest and a Muslim Sheik.

You may watch HERE the story of this unusual friendship and ministry.

Fr. Boulos is motvated in his service by the following conviction:

I attach below a PDF version of the transcript.

words

Mae Cannon in Tahrir Square

I met Mae Cannon last year at a conference in Bethlehem and we have stayed in touch more or less since then. We arypte sharing a similar passion for the Church in the Middle East.

Mae is now visiting Egypt and has published today on her blog a moving report on her visit to Tahrir Square. Here is a fragment:

Celebrations and challenges: Muslims and Christians look toward the future in Egypt

Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler,
Rector of St. Paul’s Church (Anglican), Cairo

Against the background buzz of the now-familiar sound of army helicopters flying overhead, it is an interesting time to pull aside from all that has recently made this region seem like the “Wild East” to reflect on Egypt’s present situation. On Friday, March 25, we celebrated the two-month anniversary of the beginning of the Egyptian uprising, popularly known as the “25 January Revolution.” We have indeed witnessed history. And it has been a time of profound emotion, full of exhilarating highs and exhausting lows.

A New Letter from Egypt

Note: Since there is quite a difference between the stories in the media and the perceptions of the people on the ground on the situation in Egypt, I will continue to provide you, from time to time, with such opportunities. For obvious reasons, I cannot mention the names of the authors. Let us continue to pray for Egypt.

* * *

Dear friends,

We have lived through one of the most amazing events in modern Middle Eastern history, and of course the story continues to be written. And we believe we are in an exciting new phase of the Egypt’s destiny.

“Shokran awi”
“Shokran awi” (thanks so much!—in Arabic) for all your prayers, encouraging emails, supportive telephone calls…and genuine interest in our well-being.  It has meant the world to us and we are immeasurably grateful.

Martin Marty – Revolution

Egypt revolution (source of picture, HERE)

This text will appear soon on the Sightings website.

“C’est une révolte,” said King Louis XVI to his messenger about events on July 14, 1789. “Non, Sire, C’est une révolution,” the Duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt corrected him. With this exchange Hannah Arendt pointed to a difference between a revolt—we have seen many of such—and a revolution, which we saw on television and kindred instruments last week in Egypt. The Wall Street Journal was listening, as weren’t we all, to the shouts of protesters in Cairo and elsewhere. “[I]t’s worth noting that the words heard most often . . . have been ‘dignity,’ ‘modernity,’ ‘freedom,’ ‘jobs.’” Words like these “appear to have displaced Allah as the galvanizing ideas for the young in Egypt and Tunisia.”

A Message from Cairo

Tahrir Square by night
Dear Prayer Partner,

Last night I went outside my neighborhood for the first time in 18 days, to attend a service at my Egyptian church. The church is next to Tahrir Square, and because it is so close to the square it was closed throughout the demonstrations. Yesterday was the first Sunday service in three weeks, and I had the pleasure of translating from Arabic to English for English speaking visitors.

To get to my church from my house, I walk ten minutes to the nearest light rail metro station. The metro trip to Tahrir Square takes about 20 minutes, and I come up out of the exit that puts me in front of the Mugamma building, at the opposite end of the square from the Egyptian Museum.