[Today’s Prayer] Egyptian Court Rejects Petition for Easter Public Holiday… Christians Say “Violation of Religious Freedom”

An Egyptian court has rejected a petition requesting that Easter be designated as an official public holiday, meaning that local Christians continue to face situations where they must endure disadvantages at work or in school in order to observe the most important season of their faith.

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Currently in Egypt, Sunday is considered a regular workday, so Christians who use leave to attend Easter worship services may face salary reductions or discrimination in the workplace. In schools and universities as well, students who miss classes because of Easter may face academic disadvantages.

Kelsey Zorzi, Director of International Religious Freedom Advocacy at Alliance Defending Freedom International, said, “This ruling effectively denies Christians the right to freely worship on the holiest day of their faith,” and added, “The Egyptian government must take meaningful action to recognize and protect the rights of Christians.”

She continued, “This issue goes beyond simply recognizing a public holiday. Christians who are already enduring ongoing and severe religious persecution are now even having their legal right to worship restricted.”

This petition was part of a movement in Egypt, a nation with a long Christian tradition, calling for expanded religious freedom and the removal of restrictions on worship. Egypt has been regarded as one of the centers of Christianity since the first century, and the Coptic Church traces its origins to the church established in Alexandria by the Apostle Mark.

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Christians make up about 10% of Egypt’s population, while the majority are Muslim.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently recommended that Egypt be placed on the U.S. State Department’s Special Watch List. This recommendation reflects concerns that the government is either committing or tolerating serious violations of religious freedom.

Egypt’s blasphemy laws have been used to punish people for expressing or defending their faith. Punishments range from fines to imprisonment.

In one case, Coptic Christian YouTuber and researcher Augustinos Samaan was sentenced to five years of hard labor for posting online content defending the Christian faith. It is also reported that dozens of similar cases are currently pending in criminal courts.

In addition, the government has been criticized for refusing to recognize the Christian faith on official identification cards for those who convert from Islam to Christianity, further restricting their religious activities.

A previous report by Open Doors also pointed out that Christians in Egypt still face difficulties in establishing churches and places of worship. Although the government has legalized some churches through official registration, the report stated that minority religious groups—including Christians, Shia Muslims, and the Ahmadiyya community—continue to face legal and administrative restrictions on expressing and practicing their faith.

Source: Christian Daily

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

God, we see that the Egyptian court has rejected the petition to designate Easter as an official public holiday, and that Christians are facing not only religious persecution but even legal restrictions on their right to worship.

Please have mercy on this nation that does not know the true meaning of Jesus Christ, who conquered the power of death and rose again. Forgive the ignorance of this land, which was once a center of early Christianity and a cradle of faith, but has forgotten the grace of the gospel and become bound to vain idols, even attempting to suppress the joy of the resurrection.

Even amid disadvantages at school and work and under social pressure, let the Egyptian church remember the great cloud of faithful witnesses who have gone before them. Help them stand as a holy community that strives to gather together and follow the laws of heaven rather than compromising with the laws of the world. By fixing their eyes only on Jesus, the One who perfects us, grant them an abundant faith that will not grow weary or discouraged under any persecution.

May the Egyptian church become a holy army that endures through tribulation and looks only to Jesus, faithfully finishing the race of faith entrusted to them.

And beyond the restoration of worship in this nation, may they become a missionary people who run toward all nations until the day of the Lord’s return. Use the people of Egypt as a holy channel of revival that restores worship among the nations!