Coptic Catholic patriarch, bishops praise Egypt’s army, police in wake of violence

August 20, 2013

The head of the Coptic Catholic Church has praised police and military action against Muslim Brotherhood protestors, who support ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

In an August 19 statement, Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak spoke of “our free, strong and conscious support for all state institutions, particularly the armed forces and the police, for all their efforts in protecting our homeland,” according to the Zenit news agency.

“What is happening in Egypt now is not a political struggle between different factions, but a war against terrorism,” he added.

Bishop Youhannes Ezzat Zakaria Badir of Luxor told Aid to the Church in Need that the army “saved us, thanks be to God,” when protestors attempted to burn down his home.

“I the bishop, the priests, the sisters and the people cannot move [about],” he added. “We keep staying in our homes to be saved from any kind of violence.”

Bishop Kyrillos Kamal William Samaan of Assiut said that “the Western governments do not see the reality of what is going on here.”

“A group of terrorists have used arms against us,” he said. Western governments “should not be supporting this.”

The prelate distinguished supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood from other Muslims.

“Our people are close to normal Muslims, moderate Muslims,” he said. “When the fundamentalists came for the Christians in [Assiut’s] Old Town, the Muslims sent them away using arms.”

“In other cities, Christians and Muslims came to protect churches and they stayed next to the churches all day,” he added.

 

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Further information:

• Christians afraid to leave their homes in Egypt (Aid to the Church in Need)
• Egypt: at least 60 churches attacked in 4 days of violence (CWN, 8/19)