SaveUs Minute

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Save The Persecuted Christians brings you news of anti-Christian violence in today’s SaveUs Minute

A Coptic diocese in Upper Egypt last week saw its eighth church closed following mob violence and attacks by villagers protesting against the church building being legally recognized. Five Copts were then arrested for worshipping in an “unrecognized” church.

Across Egypt, there are thousands of worship spaces informally acknowledged as ‘churches’.

Two years ago, the government introduced a new common law granting church buildings the same rights as mosques. About 3500 pre-existing ‘churches’ were waiting to be legalized at the time: some had been waiting for over 20 years.

In January this year, Egypt’s Ministry of Housing announced that Christians are allowed to continue to meet in unlicensed churches, pending the legalization process.

However, as government inspections proceed, violent Islamic mobs gather to protest, allowing local security forces to then shutdown unlicensed Coptic churches for “safety concerns.”

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