Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi vowed during a speech at Coptic Christmas Mass to rebuild and renovate all churches and homes that had been torched during violence in 2013. “We have taken too long to fix and renovate [churches] that were burned…this year everything will be fixed,” announced President Sisi as Coptic Pope Tawadros II stood by his side at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abassiya. “Please accept our apologies for what happened…God willing…by next year there won’t be a single house or church that is not restored,” added President Sisi, referring to the torching of churches and homes of Coptic Christians following the ouster of President Morsi in July 2013. “We will never forget the honourable, respectful and great stance you and the Pope took during this period,” declared President Sisi amid cheers in the Cathedral. More than 53 churches and Coptic institutions were torched or stormed across Egypt following the ouster of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in July 2013. Hundreds of other homes, businesses, and schools were also attacked in Sohag, Minya, Cairo, Assiut and other cities. In one incident, assailants torched parts of one of Egypt’s oldest churches…
Egypt’s President Sisi Vows to Rebuild All Destroyed Churches in 2016
January 6, 2016
