Egypt: Church Courtyard Set Aflame Before Christmas Prayers

The courtyard of St. George the Martyr, a partially constructed Catholic church in Hijazh village in Egypt was set on fire by unknown persons on Christmas day (January 7 for Egyptian Christians).

Christian worshipers were planning on praying in the church’s courtyard — since the church building had been left unfinished for 23 years due to reasons of security — and had furnished the courtyard with chairs and tents. They “were surprised” to find “flames” engulf much of the courtyard.

The people managed to stifle the fire but not after it had done it’s damage.

In 2010, a wooden church build aside the unfinished church was also burned down, though at that time faulty electricity was blamed.

Source: OCP