Muslim threats force closure of 6 Egyptian monasteries
Threats of violence and vandalism by Muslims have forced six Egyptian monasteries to close.
The Orthodox Marmina Monastery in Alexandria, Mare Girgis in Beheira and Drenka in Assiut closed their doors to visitors and limited entry to monks. They bring the total of monasteries that closed due to security threats to six; three other monasteries in Wadi El Natron had closed their doors starting Sept. 23 to Oct. 14.
Large numbers of visitors frequent these monasteries at this particular time, thus having complete control over the security of the monks and the monasteries is considered impossible.
Sources at the Orthodox Church said that the closing was due to “concern that the monasteries and the monks would be subject to retaliation.”
Many Egyptian Muslims have been inflamed by Islamic scholar Zaghloul El Naggar, who alleged in an interview that Christians had killed Wafaa Constantine, a priest’s wife who briefly converted from Christianity to Islam (and back again) in 2004. The scholar claimed that she had been killed for refusing to return to Christianity. The woman appeared on Egyptian television to squelch the allegations, but apparently this had little effect.
[...] ELMASRY-LAND! RELIGION OF.. Muslim threats force closure of 6 Egyptian monasteries; Egypt: the Dilemma of Being [...]