Egypt’s Christian Pope Blasts Islamist President

[Apotheoun]

Egypt’s Christian pope blasts Islamist president

 

Associated Press, Cairo -

 

The leader of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church on Tuesday blasted the country’s Islamist president over his handling of the recent deadly sectarian violence, including an attack on the main cathedral in Cairo.

 

The remarks by Pope Tawadros II underscore rising Muslim-Christian tensions in Egypt. They were Tawadros’ first direct criticism of President Mursi since he was enthroned in November as the spiritual leader of Egypt’s Orthodox Christians. They are also likely to fuel the political turmoil roiling the country for the two years since the ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

 

Tawadros also warned that the state of Egypt was “collapsing” and described Sunday’s attack on the St. Mark Cathedral in central Cairo, which serves as the Coptic papal seat, as “breaching all the red lines.”

 

Tawadros said Mursi had promised him in a telephone conversation to do everything to protect the cathedral, “but in reality he did not.”

 

Asked to explain Mursi’s attitude, Tawadros, who spoke in a telephone interview to a political talk show aired on the private ONTV network, said it “comes under the category of negligence and poor assessment of events.”

 

On Sunday, an angry mob of Muslims threw firebombs and rocks at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo, leaving two people dead. One of the two was identified as a Christian.

 

The attack followed a funeral service for four Christians killed in sectarian clashes in a town north of Cairo early the day before. A fifth person, a Muslim, was also killed. It was the deadliest sectarian violence since Mursi came to office nine months ago as the country’s first freely elected president.

 

Tawadros also criticized the president over his decision on Monday to revive a state body mandated to promote equality between Egyptians regardless of their religious and ethnic background. Mursi’s decision was in response to the sectarian violence.

 

“Enough already of formations, committees and groups and whatever else,” Tawadros said.

 

“We want action not words and, let me say this, there are many names and committees but there is no action on the ground,” he added.

 

Mursi has strongly condemned the recent violence and said that he considered any attack on the cathedral to be an attack on him personally. He also ordered an investigation into the violence.

 

“Should we wait for instructions to start an investigation when something happens?” Tawadros said in response to Mursi’s order. “Egypt’s laws must be adequate to deal with the situation. This is a society that is collapsing. Society is collapsing every day.”

 

 

Click here to read the rest of the article

[Apotheoun]

TROUBLING PHOTOS SUGGEST SOME EGYPTIAN POLICE STOOD BY WHILE MOB ATTACKED CHRISTIAN CATHEDRAL, BURNED BIBLE

 

 

During clashes at Cairo’s St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral on Sunday, Christian worshipers attacked by a mob throwing rocks, firebombs and birdshot said there were far too few police deployed near the church to protect the worshipers.

 

As TheBlaze reported on Sunday, once police did arrive in large numbers, the scene was already out of control, with mourners trapped inside the church as the two sides clashed outside.

 

Egypt’s Christians are accusing police of siding with the Muslim attackers, or at the very least standing idly by, as worshipers were bombarded with projectiles. Reports from the scene and newly published photos seem to bolster their claim, though it’s unclear if the police actions were by design or incompetence.

 

Middle East analyst Raymond Ibrahim, an Arabic speaker who follows the Egyptian media closely, posted photos on his website that he found in the Egyptian press. He writes, “Several Egyptian media outlets and newspapers, especially the popular Youm7,  have published a variety of pictures showing mobs, if not terrorists, attacking the cathedral in front of absolutely indifferent, possibly approving, security forces.”

 

 

Click the link to read the rest of the article and see the photos

[Anastasia13]

Christians in Egypt need prayer. Last I heard, the current government is less Christian-friendly than the last.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Light and Truth

[Apotheoun]

Video showing Egyptian police standing around doing nothing while Muslims throw rocks and fire bombs at the Coptic Cathedral. Although not shown in this video the police do eventually take action, but not against the Muslim mob; instead, they join in on the attack on the Christians by shooting canisters of tear gas into the Cathedral complex, which is filled with mourners - men, women, children, and elderly people (pictures of that can be seen in the article in post number 2).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QstQ4q9ox_4

[Apotheoun]

The video below shows the ruins of the Coptic Church of St. George after it was attacked by a Muslim mob:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxTx4YdV_ts

 

[Apotheoun]

Photos of St.Mary Coptic Orthodox Church burned and destroyed by Salafi Islamists

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5TgGNqXmLw

 

[Apotheoun]

The evil of Islam must be resisted. Prayers for the Coptic Orthodox Christians and the suffering that they are presently experiencing. The blood of the martyrs calls out to God for justice.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfuqR-219N4

 

[CatherineM]

That guy's got guts.