The Church Times reports on the situation in Egypt, saying that Muslim youths have been guarding Anglican property and the Principal of the Alexandria School of Theology writes about his experience during the unrest.
The focus of Anglican worship in Egypt is All Saints’ Cathedral in Cairo. The President-Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Most Revd Mouneer Anis, whose cathedral it is, said that he was in contact with his clergy in Alexandria, Port Said, and elsewhere, twice a day, to check that their congregations were safe.
During the worst of the rioting in Suez, there were fears that the church there might come to harm; but it escaped damage, and the army subsequently put a guard on it. The cathedral in Cairo, and nearby church property, are being guarded by young Muslim men from the neighbourhood — in the absence of police on the streets of the capital.
Titus on Mission has been publishing correspondence from people on the ground in Egypt. This e-mail was sent out yesterday from Emad and Michelle Mikhail. Emad is Principal of Alexandria School of Theology, a seminary founded in 2005 under the auspices of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
This email will try to address some of your questions. It is true that many foreigners are leaving the country, but many are just going to Europe for a week or so as they wait for things to settle down. As for our friends here in the country, people are still jittery after the horrible looting that went on Saturday night and decreasingly on Sunday, and even Monday. The Christians are terrified that the looters and those opening up the prisons are Muslim Brotherhood. We do not see that this is the case. However, the MB do seem to be becoming more outspoken and are actively participating on every level. Most people are managing to get money and food. However, there are people who were already financially fragile and are now in crisis. We are helping those who we know. ATM’s are being filled up. The country is not very active, but some people are working. We are personally finding it hard to do anything other than essentials, watch the news and keep in touch with people.
We continually pray for a peaceful and quick resolution. We pray that all we have been through will not be in vain. We pray for Christians to have the chain of fear broken that has oppressed them for years and still is very strong. We pray for unity in the country between Christians and Muslims. These prayers as well as all the other obvious ones.
We believe that nothing that is happening is outside of God’s sovereign will and that He who holds history in His hands will accomplish His perfect will.
Emad and Michelle