The leader of the Coptic Church in Egypt, Pope Tawadros II, has cancelled a number of weekly meetings due to fears of Islamist attacks, the BBC reports. It says the cancelled meetings are thought to have been Bible lectures in St. Mark’s Cathedral.
Bishop Angaelos, leader of the UK’s Coptics, released a statement Aug. 8 saying that “in recent weeks and months there has been an escalation of attacks against Christians in Egypt”. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International have spoken out against the violence since the ousting of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
Some Islamists took comments made by Pope Tawadros II supporting the change in power as a sign that the Church had conspired in Morsi’s overthrow.