Everyone thinks that the churches will empty but it is the opposite which occurs, says Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan of Assiut

Catholic Coptic Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan of Assiut in Middle Egypt is preparing Easter as “normally as possible” despite economic and security tensions.
He spoke in Paris at the 10th Night of Witness organized by Aid to the Church in Need.
“After each attack, everyone thinks that the churches will empty but it is the opposite which occurs,” said Bishop William Samaan.

The succession of terrorist violence against Christians and others in Egypt has not affected the faith of his flock. He is preparing Easter “as normally as possible,” he told the 10th Night of Witness event.

He pointed out that metal detectors and identity controls have become the norm around Egyptian churches particularly in cities.

“Police are always present. On feast days or in case of threats, the army also sends reinforcements,” added Bishop William Samaan, whose four brothers and sisters are priests or religious.

The “simple” people of his flock experience the current violence, which aims to destabilize the government as much as to force Christians to leave, with “great confidence,” he said, explaining his endeavors to ensure that they do not fall into “fatalism.”

“In Egypt, martyrdom is something that we experience and have to live with,” he said.

Indeed, the general political, social and religious context in Egypt hardly lends itself to optimism.

Salafist preachers on the proliferating private television stations “continually ridicule our faith and treat us as kaffirs (evildoers) as well as oppose the construction of churches,” Bishop William Samaan said.

Although President al-Sisi’s government, which faces elections on March 26, has given many positive signals, their effects remain unclear as a recent new law on worship places demonstrates.

“In my diocese, 15 out of 41 churches have received recognition by presidential decree, some have been recognized by the local governor but I have no other official document for 20 others,” Bishop William Samaan said, adding that this was despite his requested recognition of the others.

In total, nearly 4,000 requests have been made to the authorities, including 2,500 by the Coptic Orthodox Church, 1,000 by Protestants and 250 by Catholics.
“We read in the newspaper a few days ago that only 53 were going to be recognized!” he said.

Nevertheless, Bishop William Samaan, who is much involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and who celebrates the World Day of Peace each year with his Orthodox, Protestant and Muslim “brothers,” has noticed some indications of a “new state of mind.”

“My priests tell me that sometimes people give them a seat on the bus. This year, the day after Christmas, a teacher came with his whole class to give their best wishes,” he said.

Is this a sign that Egyptians are tiring of all the violence? “Quite possibly,” he said.