The Church of Naj’ Hammādī refused to welcome any Christmas well-wishers, demonstrating against the lawlessness seen in the region recently and the kidnap of a number of Copts and asking for a ransom, which became a common phenomenon in several areas in the country. Bishop Kyrillos of Naj’ Hammādī and Abū Tisht said that 11 Copts were kidnaped, nine out of them were released after paying royalties to the kidnappers. [Ashraf Sādiq, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic