Posted on 02/23/2010 4:53:29 AM PST by SJackson
On Wednesday, January 6, 2010, following the Coptic Christmas Eve celebrations in the Southern Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, masked gunmen opened fire on the exiting worshipers, killing seven Copts and injuring scores of others. The gunmen, most likely a radical jihadist offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, intended to assassinate the Coptic Bishop Kirollos. Attacks in Egypt on the Christian-Coptic minority by incited Muslim mobs have become a frequent occurrence in recent years.
An unnamed eye witness to the shootings told the Coptic News Bulletin at the Nag Hammadi hospital that the situation was critical for the injured because of shortages of blood for transfusions. He stated that, “The Muslims promised us a wonderful Christmas, and I think the message has now been received…”
Bishop Kirollos accused the security services of negligence in dealing with the events which led to the massacre and added: “Not one single security man intervened to prevent casualties.” He criticized the absence of adequate State Security forces guarding the church, which is customary during such events and especially in light of the unrest which took place in the area in November 2009.
Bishop Kirollos had recently received a death threat for criticizing the Egyptian authorities and speaking out in defense of the Christian victims of the November 2009 attack, in the areas of Farshout, Abu Shusha, Aerky, and Alshokeify, all part of the Nag Hammadi parish.
In a letter sent to Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak by Dr. Monir Dawoud, President of the American Coptic Association he wrote:
“The failure to protect the lives and properties of the Christians, to implement Presidential decrees and to uphold the law not only defeats the leadership’s efforts to improve the human rights situati
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Continuing Prayers for our Dear Brothers and Sisters in Egypt,
The place of refuge for the Christ Child (out of Egypt I called my Son)
One of the First Nations to Accept Christ in the Apostolic Age
And now, the Persecuted Church.
Right on, I must also remind you that Egypt is a code word for Hell, evil and pergatory. In the stories of the Exodus, Joseph, and even the Holy family. The Jews left the promised land for Egypt, a refuge from the great seven year famine. Seven hundred years later, the Jews fed Egypt in a hurray chased out by a revengful Pharoh.
When the newborn Jesus and the Holy Family were warned by angels to flee Herod’s Slaughter of the Innocents, they sought refuge in Egypt. Once Herod died, they returned to settle in Joseph’s hometown.
Today, we can look at Egypt as a governmental refuge from typical muslim intolerance expected everywhere else. We need to know that Egypt under Mubarak has a Peace Treaty with Israel.
All the more reason we should pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are residing there!
Fixed.
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