Coptic Orthodox Bishop Bisantī of Hilwān and al-Ma’sarah, said what had happened in Khusūs in front of the Cathedral is a sign that Egypt is now in a danger. He added, Egypt suffers from a crisis of citizenship. We are all Egyptian citizens, we have to be equal in our rights and duties and we have to applied citizenship. All the clashes that happen between Muslim and Copts will end, if we applied citizenship. However, if the discrimination and the lack of equality in the social intercourse between Muslims and Copts remains, the crisis will continue and will be repeated.”

Bishop Bisantī added that God is the only one who protects churches in Egypt. The few security forces in front of some churches are not sufficient. If the government is really serious about protecting the Copts, it has to be made accountable. According to the bishop the country should acknowledge the crisis before it deteriorates. Finally, Bishop Bisantī assures that the Copts will not leave Egypt, however, they will try to obtain equal rights through peaceful demonstrations. Christians have to feel safe in their country (Majdī Abū al-Layl, al-Watan, Apr. 9, p. 5). Read original text in Arabic.