Posted on 02/25/2011 12:15:54 PM PST by marshmallow
(AINA) -- For the second time in as many days, Egyptian armed force stormed the 5th century old St. Bishoy monastery in Wadi el-Natroun, 110 kilometers from Cairo. Live ammunition was fired, wounding two monks and six Coptic monastery workers. Several sources confirmed the army's use of RPG ammunition. Four people have been arrested including three monks and a Coptic lawyer who was at the monastery investigating yesterday's army attack.
Monk Aksios Ava Bishoy told activist Nader Shoukry of Freecopts the armed forces stormed the main entrance gate to the monastery in the morning using five tanks, armored vehicles and a bulldozer to demolish the fence built by the monastery last month to protect themselves and the monastery from the lawlessness which prevailed in Egypt during the January 25 Uprising.
"When we tried to address them, the army fired live bullets, wounding Father Feltaows in the leg and Father Barnabas in the abdomen," said Monk Ava Bishoy. "Six Coptic workers in the monastery were also injured, some with serious injuries to the chest."
The injured were rushed to the nearby Sadat Hospital, the ones in serious condition were transferred to the Anglo-Egyptian Hospital in Cairo.
Father Hemanot Ava Bishoy said the army fired live ammunition and RPGs continuously for 30 minutes, which hit part of the ancient fence inside the monastery. "The army was shocked to see the monks standing there praying 'Lord have mercy' without running away. This is what really upset them," he said. "As the soldiers were demolishing the gate and the fence they were chanting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Victory, Victory'."
He also added that the army prevented the monastery's car from taking the injured to hospital.
The army also attacked the Monastery of St. Makarios of Alexandria in Wady el-Rayan, Fayoum, 100 km from Cairo. It stormed the monastery and fired live ammunition on the monks. Father Mina said that one monk was shot and more than ten have injuries caused by being beaten with batons. The army demolished the newly erected fence and one room from the actual monastery and confiscated building materials. The monastery had also built a fence to protect itself after January 25 and after being attacked by armed Arabs and robbers leading to the injury of six monks, including one monk in critical condition who is still hospitalized.
The army had given on February 21 an ultimatum to this monastery that if the fence was not demolished within 48 hours by the monks, the army would remove it themselves (AINA 2-23-2011).
The Egyptian Armed Forces issued a statement on their Facebook page denying that any attack took place on St. Bishoy Monastery in Wady el-Natroun, "Reflecting our belief in the freedom and chastity of places of worship of all Egyptians." The statement went on to say that the army just demolished some fences built on State property and that it has no intention of demolishing the monastery itself (video of army shooting at Monastery).
Father Hedra Ava Bishoy said they are in possession of whole carton of empty bullet shells besides the people who are presently in hospital to prove otherwise.
The army attack came after the monks built a fence for their protection after the police guards left their posts and fled post the January 25th Uprising and after being attacked by prisoners who were at large, having escaped from their prisons during that period.
"We contacted state security and they said there was no police available for protection," said Father Bemwa," So we called the Egyptian TV dozens of times to appeal for help and then we were put in touch with the military personnel who told us to protect ourselves until they reach us." He added that the monks have built a low fence on the borders of one side of the monastery which is vulnerable to attacks, on land which belongs to the monastery, with the monks and monastery laborers keeping watch over it 24 hours a day.
The monks of St. Bishoy are now holding a sit-in in front of monastery in protest against the abuse of the army by using live bullets against civilians
Nearly 7000 Copts staged a peaceful rally in front of the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo, where Pope Shenouda III was giving his weekly lecture (video), after which they marched towards Tahrir Square to protest the armed forces attacks on Coptic monasteries.
Ping!
SEIU thug tactics? After all, aren’t they organizing in Egypt?
recent BVM appearances are not for nought.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
And our Fearless Tyrant says ?????????
Ephesians 6 - I have that printed and on my desk.
Just killing the Christians that most others won’t kill ...although what I thought they really wanted was . . . Democracy?
If we were any sort of country, we’d offer these Coptic Christians refuge here in the U.S.
Those bad Christians! They should apologize for being in the way of those good bullets! In fact they should just kill themselves to save the good peoples bullets, after all bullets are expensive! And the nerve of them! Having a monastery (evil place) in the midst of all those kind, loving, tolerant, peaceful people who just want to pray.
I am willing to bet that our illustrious president doesn’t say anything about the massacre. This is the guy who sicced the FBI and the “justice” department on the wacko pastor who threatened to burn the indoctrination book.
While they will certainly persecute Christians, on the other hand, they will also be killing each other as well.
“Mubarak had to go. As bad as he was, he stood in the way of a full Islamic theocracy. When Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Lebanon as well as probably Yemen, Bahrain, and Morocco all have fallen, we will have the rule of the Mullahs facilitated and promoted by Obama’s policies and declaration of weakness throughout the region.”
Yup and Israel in the center of a perfect marxist muslim storm. Obama will not help Israel and the Islamic Caliphate will attack Israel. Israel will nuke the living crap out of everthing around her.....I just hope we have Pakistan’s missiles secured. With Barry at the helm, probably not.
Priest Found Dead, Stabbed 22 Times
Not only unprotected, but also actively persecuted by the military: Coptic Christians in Egypt — Soldiers shoot monks and priests.
Dusseldorf-Cairo (kath.net/KAP) Further attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt: The Coptic Orthodox Bishop for Germany, Anba Damian, complained this Thursday to the ‘Westphalian Hoxter’ of attacks by soldiers against the Anba—Bishoy-Cloister in Wadi El Natrun. There this Wednesday a monk was shot and another was assailed. Some collaborators with the Monastery have been severely wounded, said the Bishop.
http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2011/02/cairo-body-of-priest-found-with-22.html
I clicked on your link and went to the vedio.
Must say the civilians looked to be taking sticks to the troops and throwing rocks at the API - then the troops fired.
Don’t know what the deal is about the fence - but if it’s a historic fence, the government took it by condemnation and now wants to knock it down? Gee, kinda’ sounds like some local governments in the US.
I guess not having a fence permit is a capital offense in the post-Mubarak regime.
Are Copts real Christians? Or are they pseudo-Christians like our Episcopalians, Methodists, and Evangelical Lutherans?
Prayers lifted
Coptics are the original Christians of the Roman Empire, from which all others derive
Islam cannot, by definition, tolerate any other religion or other religion’s relics/shrines/monastaries/churches
Copts are the Christians who split after the Council of Chalcedon. They’ve been there long before the Muslims came.
One of the remaining monasteries is St. Catherine’s which was built by the Emperor Justinian.
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