Statement on the Martyrdom of Christians on Hosanna Sunday in Egypt

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With palms in their hands, hymns on their lips, and peace in their hearts, New Martyrs were ushered from their churches in Alexandria and Tanta into the Paradise of Joy on Hosanna Sunday, the day and feast of the Lord.

All Christians… know that you are a light in the world, a source of good, and a means for peace. The whole world is under siege by an ideology of hatred… a cancer of the conscience. The same hands that skilfully designed weapons of harm could’ve discovered tools for a cure. This violent act against Christians is because evil can’t coexist with good, darkness can’t overcome light, and hatred can’t befriend peace, but death can’t separate us from God.

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord has spoken it.

Prophecy of Isaias 25.8

All our churches and noble citizens throughout the world are praying for the peace and safety of all persecuted Christians, Confessors, and Martyrs. Holy Week is a time devoted to the Lord’s Passion. At all times, the Lord loved. Even when afflicted and crucified, He loved. This is a time for prayer for the entire world. We remain in prayer for the safety of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, all the Confessors of the Christian faith, the families of the Martyrs, and all the injured victims. On behalf of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, I offer our deepest condolences to everyone afflicted by this sad day in Egyptian history.

+Bishop Youssef

Ruling Hierarch

Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

10 April 2017

Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

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11 April 2017. 43 Dead in Egypt… Patriarch Tawadros Escaped Injury

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On Palm Sunday, a bomb went off in St Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria in Egypt. 43 died and hundreds more injured… the Islamists struck again. Their intent was to drive a wedge between Christians and sane Muslims (the Islamists hate them almost as badly as they hate the Christians… how dare they associate with and defend infidels!). I think that they failed. Yes… they killed Christians… yes… they disrupted a major Christian holy day… but no, they didn’t divide the normal people of Egypt. Yes, the violence will continue… far too much of it, I’d say. However, the Egyptian government will do its best to nick the perps and give them their just deserts. It’s not Saudi Arabia, where Christians must go about in fear. Yes, there are feral Muslims, and we do wrong to ignore that fact. On the other hand, remember that such fanatics are heretics in Muslim terms… yes, heretics. Sadly, these fanatic heretics run the KSA, and they use their money to spread this contagion. So… be vigilant, but differentiate between the Saudi-financed bigots and the “silent majority”. As one of my friends told me, “If I had wanted to live under Wahhabism, I’d move to Saudi Arabia. No, thank you”.

Meanwhile, pray for the dead… we’re Christians; that’s what we do…

BMD

BREAKING NEWS Egyptian Security Reports Explosion Near Cairo’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral

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On Sunday, according to a source in Egyptian security, an explosion took place near Cairo’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral. Citing Egypt’s Ministry of Health, local media reported that the explosion killed at least five people and injured ten more. There’s been no claim of responsibility yet.

11 December 2016

Sputnik International

https://sputniknews.com/africa/201612111048419372-cairo-blast-coptic-cathedral/

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Citing Egyptian state TV, Reuters reported that an explosion near Cairo’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral killed at least 20 people and 25 injured others. No one claimed responsibility for the blast yet. The latest attack comes two days after two roadside bombs (one in Cairo, and one to the north of the capital) left six police dead and six others injured.

11 December 2016

RT

https://www.rt.com/news/369924-cairo-coptic-blast-cathedral/

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This is a developing story and we don’t have much solid detail at present. There’ll be conflicting reports for the next several hours, I fear. Stay tuned…

BMD

22 February 2015. One of Libyan Martyrs MAY be “Eastern” Rather than “Oriental” Orthodox

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I got this from one of the Cabinet:

I found out today that one of the martyrs was not a Copt, but rather Eastern Orthodox, perhaps from Kenya or Ghana, of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria.

That’s all that I have… I’ll get back to youse guys when I have more.

BMD