Catholic Church in Egypt Release Statement on Violent Protests

Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria

Photo (Courtesy) Wikipedia

Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac States Situation is Not Political Struggle But a War on Terrorism


Cairo, August 19, 2013 (Zenit.org) Junno Arocho Esteves

The Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Ibrahim Isaac released a statement today regarding the dire political situation occurring in Egypt. Violence erupted after Muslim Brotherhood supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi began killing and burning churches, schools and state institutions in protest.


Patriarch Isaac, who also serves as President of the Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt, stated that Catholic Church in Egypt felt the need to clarify the reality of the current situation “out of love for our country and in solidarity with all lovers of Egypt, Christians and Muslims.”

The Catholic Church in Egypt, he said, expressed their “free, strong and conscious support for all state institutions, particularly the Armed Forces and the police for all their efforts in protecting our homeland.”

Patriarch Isaac also conveyed their appreciation to nations who understand “the nature of the events” while rejecting any interference by foreign countries to influence Egypt or its internal affairs.

The statement also thanked Egyptian and International media for objectively reporting the news and events that have occurred. However, the Catholic Church of Egypt strongly condemned “those media that promote lies and falsify the truth in order to mislead world public opinion.” The President of the Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt also thanked the honorable Muslim compatriots” who have aided in defending the Churches and institutions which have been attacked by Islamic extremists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“We address the international conscious and all national leaders that they understand and believe that what is happening in Egypt now is not a political struggle between different factions, but a war against terrorism,” the statement read.

Concluding the message, Patriarch Isaac expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who have died in the conflict and asked the Lord “to heal all the injured.”


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Statement of the Catholic Church in Egypt

Cairo, August 19, 2013 (Zenit.org)

Here is translation of the statement made by Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac, president of the Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt, on the violent situation in Egypt.


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With pain, but also with hope, the Catholic Church in Egypt is following what our country is experiencing: terrorist attacks, killings and the burning of churches, schools and state institutions. Therefore, out of love for our country and in solidarity with all lovers of Egypt, Christians and Muslims, we are trying to do our best to communicate with friendly organizations around the world to clarify for them the reality of events taking place in our country. We would like to express the following:

Our free, strong and conscious support for all state institutions, particularly the Armed Forces and the police for all their efforts in protecting our homeland.

Our appreciation of sincere nations to understand the nature of events while flatly rejecting any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Egypt or to influence its sovereign decisions whatever the direction might be.

Our thanks to all Egyptian and international media that report the news and events objectively and impartially while condemning those media that promote lies and falsify the truth in order to mislead world public opinion.

Our thanks to our honorable Muslim compatriots who have stood by our side, as far as they could, in defending our churches and our institutions.

Lastly, we address the international conscious and all national leaders that they understand and believe that what is happening in Egypt now is not a political struggle between different factions, but a war against terrorism.

In conclusion, we express our condolences to all families and relatives of the victims. We ask the Lord to heal all the injured.

+ Ibrahim Isaac

Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copt Catholics
President of the Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt

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