Egyptian church cancels Mass for first time in 1,600 years

Monastery attacked by Muslim Brotherhood protesters.

As Christians in Egypt find themselves at the center of hostile attacks by Islamic protesters, a church in Minya was forced to cancel Mass on Sunday for the first time in 1,600 years.

"We did not hold prayers in the monastery on Sunday for the first time in 1,600 years," explained Priest Selwanes Lotfy of the Virgin Mary and Priest Ibram Monastery in Degla, south of Minya. The priest revealed that supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi destroyed the monastery, which includes three churches, according to Times of Israel.

He added that one of the attacker had wrote on the monastery's wall "donate [this] to the martyrs' mosque."

Coptic Christians make up only around 10-12 percent of Egypt's population, and are considered one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. They have been heavily targeted by Muslim Brotherhood-led protesters in recent weeks, who accuse them of backing the rallies against Morsi that took him down. Christian schools, churches, monasteries and bookshops have been attacked and burned, and there have been several reports of Christian casualties.

American Center for Law and Justice Executive Director Jordan Sekulow told The Christian Post on Tuesday in a phone interview that it was "absurd" that Islamists are taking out their anger on Copts

Source: Christian Post