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WORLD NEWS Monday 7 January 2019

Egypt el-Sissi inaugurates cathedral, mosque in new capital

recorded video messages
of support from the region’s
top Christian clerics as well
as Pope Francis.
Speaking in Italian, Pope
Francis said: “With joy I
greet all of you on the joy-
ful occasion of the dedica-
tion of the new Cathedral
of the Nativity, built in the
new administrative capital.
May the prince of peace
give to Egypt, the Middle
East and the whole world
the gift of peace and pros-
perity.”
The heightened security
followed a spate of attacks
claimed by the Islamic
State group which has tar-
geted churches and buses
carrying pilgrims to remote
desert monasteries, killing
The Cross of the “Great St. Antony Church”, right, and the dome of the Great mosque, left, are il- more than 100 Christians
luminated in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. over the past two years.q
Associated Press
By HAMZA HENDAWI anism, however, has done
Associated Press little to protect Christians
CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s pres- in rural Egypt, where Mus-
ident on Sunday inaugurat- lim extremists frequently
ed a new cathedral for the attack their homes and
Coptic Orthodox Church businesses or force them to
and one of the region’s leave their homes after vio-
largest mosques in a highly lent disputes.
symbolic gesture at a time Critics and activists say dis-
when Islamic militants are crimination against Chris-
increasingly targeting the tians there is often toler-
country’s minority Chris- ated by local authorities
tians. and branches of the se-
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, a gen- curity agencies. Christians
eral-turned-president, has also complain of stringent
made sectarian harmony restrictions on the construc-
a cornerstone of his rule, tion of churches.
fighting Islamic militancy But Sunday’s opening cer-
while advocating equality emony in Egypt’s New Ad-
between the overwhelm- ministrative Capital, el-Sis-
ing Muslim majority and si’s brainchild that is locat-
Christians, who account for ed in the desert east of Cai-
10 percent of Egypt’s 100 ro, stressed what the pro-
million people. government media like to
“This is a historic and impor- call the “unbreakable na-
tant moment,” said el-Sissi tional fabric” of Christians
inside the cathedral. “But and Muslims. Entertainers
we still have to protect the and chorus lines took to
tree of love we planted the stage to sing about the
here together today be- two faiths living peacefully
cause seditions never end.” side by side. Short films on
The Grand Sheikh of Al- the same topic were also
Azhar, the world’s primary screened.
seat of learning for Sunni The ceremony’s presenters
Muslims, echoed el-Sissi’s portrayed the construc-
sentiments in comments tion of the cathedral and
also made at the cathe- the mosque, which took 18
dral. months to complete, as a
The two places of worship, message to humanity. “It
he said, stand as a symbol is a message to the whole
in the face of “attempts to world that Egypt is a nation
undermine the country’s for all,” said one presenter.
stability and sectarian sedi- The ceremony, attended
tions.” by Palestinian leader Mah-
El-Sissi’s widely publicized moud Abbas and a host of
policy to staunch sectari- Arab dignitaries, included