Christianity in Egypt

The modern population of Egypt consists mainly of two peoples: the native Egyptians and the Arabs . Egyptians (traditionally referred to as Copts, from the Arabic. قبط / kubt / - Egyptians) make up today, according to various sources, from 5% (Arab sources) to 22% (Coptic sources) of the population of Egypt and profess exclusively Christianity, while Arabs profess Islam.

Neutral sources estimate the number of Egyptians at 18 million people, of which 14 million live in Egypt (15% of the population of Egypt), the remaining 4 million in the diaspora ^{[3] [4]} .

Christianity in Egypt began to spread in the I century, the founder of the Christian church in the country is considered the Apostle Mark . In the years 395-400, Christianity became the state religion of the country. In 451, a national Egyptian church was formed.

In 639, the Arab army of Amr ibn al-Asa invaded Egypt and devastated the country. In 645, the Arabs finally captured Egypt. The violent Islamization of the country began. Many Egyptians were killed, many converted to Islam and Arabized. The country was actively populated by Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula.

From the moment Arabs conquered Egypt in the 7th century and to this day, the number of Arabs in Egypt became more and more, and the number of Egyptians themselves decreased. In the XIV century, the number of Arabs in Egypt was already comparable to the number of native Egyptians ^[5] . By the 19th century, the population of Egypt was already 60% Muslim Arabs and only 40% Egyptian Christians. By the end of the 20th century, the number of Arabs in Egypt had already reached 80%, and the number of Copts was reduced to 20%. Today, indigenous Egyptians make up only 15% of the population of Egypt against 85% of Arabs.

Although Copts (Egyptians) have been harassed for many years, according to Human Rights Watch , in recent years there has been a “growing religious intolerance” and increased violence against Copts, and the government is unable to effectively investigate and punish those responsible for the persecution of Copts. ^{[6] [7]} . Also, the abduction of girls and Coptic women remains a big problem ^{[8] [9]} .

Coptic girls and women are often the victims of abductions; they are forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslims ^{[10] [11]} .

The Coptic Orthodox Church is led by its Pope of Alexandria and His Holiness Theodore II .

• Alexandria Orthodox Church
• Armenian Apostolic Church
• Coptic Catholic Church
• Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem

Other Christian groups include Catholics (less than 1% of the population), Protestants (100,000), Syrian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Seventh-day Adventists.

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  Monastery of St. Anthony. III-XVI centuries

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  X century fresco

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  Monastery of Macarius the Great. 360-860 years

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  Monastery of the Virgin Mary. V century

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  Monastery of Paul of Thebes. V century

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  Cave temple complex of the monastery of St. Simeon the Shoemaker in Cairo. X century.

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  Meeting at the Sinai Monastery of the Embassy of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible in 1559

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  Mount Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine in Egypt ( El Greco , 1560-1565)

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  Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. IV-VI centuries

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  Church of St. Mary (Cairo). VII-IX centuries

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  Cathedral of St. Theresa the Baby Jesus

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  Armenian Apostolic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cairo. 1885 year

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  Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Aswan

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  The courtyard of the White Monastery

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  View of the White Monastery from the east.

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  Interior of the Temple of St. Mark

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  Coptic Temple in Tanta

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  Deir Suriani Monastery

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  Coptic Church of St. Brand in Alexandria

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  Annunciation Cathedral in Alexandria

• Coptic Orthodox Church
• Chasing Copts
• Coptic Orthodox Church
• Catholicism in Egypt