Egypt inaugurated a massive cathedral under heavy security on Coptic Christmas Eve Sunday, a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in the country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi observed a moment of silence after Saturday’s explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others.
Security was tight as Sisi officially opened the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, 45 kilometres (28 miles) east of Cairo, ahead of Christmas mass.
Worshippers had to pass through three sets of metal detectors to access the event, while armoured vehicles and dozens of ambulances were stationed nearby.
Sisi gave a brief speech saying the simultaneous opening of the cathedral and the major Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque nearby carried a message of unity.
“We are one and we will continue to be one,” he said.
“This moment is very important in our history.”
Egypt’s top Muslim cleric Ahmed al-Tayeb told those gathered that “if Islamic law requires Muslims to protect mosques, it equally requires Muslims to protect churches”.
The cathedral’s inauguration…
