Egypt’s Christians began Holy Week celebrations by being blown up
today. Two Coptic Christian Orthodox churches packed with worshippers
for Palm Sunday mass were attacked by Islamic suicide bombers; a total
of 44 were killed and 126 wounded or mutilated.
Horrific scenes of carnage—limbs and blood splattered on altars and
pews—are being reported from both churches. Twenty-seven
people—initial reports indicate mostly children—were killed in St.
George’s in Tanta, north Egypt. “Where is the government?” yelled an
angry Christian there to AP reporters. “There is no government! There
was a clear lapse in security, which must be tightened from now on to
save lives.”
Less than two hours later, 17 people were killed in St. Mark’s
Cathedral in Alexandria, which—since the original church building
founded by the Evangelist Mark in the first century was burned to the ground during the seventh century Muslim invasions of Egypt—has been the historic seat of Coptic Christendom.
Pope Tawadros, who was present—and apparently targeted—evaded the carnage. In death toll and severity, today’s bombings surpass what was
formerly considered Egypt’s deadliest church attack: less than four
months ago, on Sunday, December 11, 2016, an Islamic suicide bomber
entered the St. Peter Cathedral in Cairo during mass, detonated himself and killed at least 27 worshippers—mostly
women and children—and wounded nearly 70.
Descriptions of scenes from
that bombing are virtually identical to those coming from Egypt now: “I
found bodies, many of them women, lying on the pews. It was a horrible
scene. I saw a headless woman being carried away. Everyone was in a
state of shock. We were scooping up people’s flesh off the floor. There
were children. What have they done to deserve this? I wish I had died
with them instead of seeing these scenes.”
I do not aim to please anyone. This is my blog, there is no blog like this. I am not mainstream. Read my disclaimer before posting comments and threatening me. Not to worry, I will not quiver in my boots. If you are not happy, no problem, just take a hike!!
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I do not aim to please anyone. This is my blog, there is no blog like this. I am not mainstream. Read my disclaimer before posting comments and threatening me. Not to worry, I will not quiver in my boots. If you are not happy, no problem, just take a hike!!