WATANI International
27 February 2011
The village of Hathata in Samalout, Minya, Upper Egypt, was the scene of an attack against the church of Mar-Girgis earlier this month.
The small church was built in the 1960s according to a republican decree over an area of little less than100 square metres. Close by, a community centre was later erected on the church grounds; both buildings are separated by a 100sq.m courtyard and enclosed within a fencing wall. In the recent years the church had become overcrowded with its growing congregation and the courtyard was frequently covered with a marquee to accommodate the worshippers who found no place inside the church during services.
Following the 25 January revolution which brought with it substantial solidarity between the Muslims and Christians in Egypt, the officials in charge of the Hathata Mar-Girgis church thought the time may be convenient for them to replace the makeshift marquee with a proper roof to shelter the congregation. Hany Malak, a volunteer worker at Mar-Girgis’s, told Watani that the priest talked to the village mayor and elders about constructing the roof; “they all welcomed the idea,” he said.
“We began with the concrete columns,’ Malak said. “The work proceeded without any problems. Then, on Thursday 17 February, we found ourselves the targets of a surprise attack by a stone and rock-hurling mob of Muslims from Hathata and from outside the village. They tried to break into the church grounds but we held them back and directly called the police.” The police arrived; and the head officer, a number of security men, and the mayor, came into the church grounds and—in solidarity—stayed with us inside. The mob, however, surrounded the church and attempted, without success, to break into the church grounds until late in the evening when they finally withdrew before the police.
Construction has been halted.