A general air of rejoicing fills the village of al-Our in Samalout in Minya, some 240km south of Cairo, at the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to start building the church of the Martyrs of the Faith and the Homeland.
The church is being built in honour of the 20 Copts and one Ghanaian who were beheaded by the Islamic State (IS) in Libya last February. Back then, President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi had taken the decision that the army would build a church in the home village of 13 of the 20 Copts beheaded, in their honour. A Copt purchased a piece of land on which to build the church, but local protestors forced the relocation of the projected church to another site. https://en.wataninet.com/coptic-affairs-coptic-affairs/sectarian/foundation-stone-laid-for-church-to-honour-is-beheaded-copts/13478/
According to the local priest Fr Maqar Eissa, all the building and administrative procedures to start construction have been successfully accomplished. The church will be built on 1400 square metres, in two storeys, a dome, and bell tower. The Armed Forces, he said, had already given the Bishopric a first instalment of EGP5 million, and pledged an equal sum once the foundation is completed.
Watani International
4 October 2015