Prayers requested for Egypt’s Christians
In the wake of the unprecedented events that have been occurring in Egypt, culminating in the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, February 11, 2011, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah calls upon the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America to pray for peace and stability in Egypt and for the nation’s Christian population.
Christians make up some 10 percent of the Egyptian population. The majority of them belong to the Coptic Tradition. There also are significant numbers of Greek Orthodox Christians within the Patriarchate of Alexandria with smaller numbers of Catholic and other Christians. The difficulties faced by Christians in the recent past are well known and, during the past few months, have gained world attention.
“We pray that, in the midst of tremendous social change, Egypt’s Christian population will be able to live and grow in peace and without fear,” said Metropolitan Jonah. “Our prayers are with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria, Coptic Pope Shenouda III, and all Egyptian Christians, that they will be strengthened and guided by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. May God protect them now and in the critical days to come.”