CAIRO: Construction has begun to rebuild a church in southern Cairo that was destroyed last week during sectarian violence. A military source told local newspapers that the Egyptian military has begun to rebuild the church of St. George & St. Mina, in Sol Village, Atfeeh, in the governorate of Helwan. A lawyer for the Egyptian Coptic Christian Church confirmed the news. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces promised the community last week that the church would be rebuilt in its original location at the expense of the state and would be finished by the Easter holiday. The church was torched during a clash between a Muslim and a Coptic Christian family, which led to further clashes in the shantytown of Manshiyet Nasr. Thugs and Salafis, extremist Muslims, attacked peaceful Coptic demonstrators who were protesting against the torching of the church, leading to the death of 13 protesters. Dozens more were injured. The incidents also led to a sit-in by thousands of Copts before the state television headquarters, Maspiro, for nine consecutive days. Many Muslims joined their Coptic countrymen in solidarity. Ramses el-Naggar, a lawyer for the Coptic church, confirmed to local newspapers on Sunday that construction had begun on the church. Following the news and a meeting with Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister, Yehia al-Gamal, the Coptic community decided to end their sit-in. Thousands of Egyptians, both Muslim and Christians, gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday in a ‘Day of Unity' and solidarity with the Copts. Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10-15 percent of Egypt's population. BM
