SW News: There is good news for Christians in Egypt as the government has granted permits to 125 churches during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

It was in 2017 that the government became quite liberal in granting permits for churches and Church institutions after the Ottoman-era harsh laws curbing the construction/revamping of churches were repealed.  Since then, as many as 2,526 permits have been issued. In April, the government legalized 239 churches and places of worship.

If Christians need to construct a new church or revamp an existing one, they need to apply for legal status, which is a tiring and cumbersome task marked by red tape. It was the task of the security agencies to give the permits after a long process.

Winds of change began to blow in 2016 when the Parliament approved the Church Construction Law on August 30. Apart from relaxing the Ottoman-period rules, the amendment also gave provisional governors the power to permit the building and restoration of churches and similar buildings. It should be noted that these mandates do not apply to Muslim places of worship.

During the high-level meeting on November 14 when the fresh set of permits was granted, the government officials made it clear that they would invite Church leaders to take part in the next meeting. They are being invited to discuss safety and security measures and expedite the legalization of churches.

According to NGO Christian Solidarity Worldwide founder president Mervyn Thomas, granting legal status to churches in Egypt is encouraging. “This development is indicative of President Sisi's personal commitment to improving the situation of Egypt's Christian community, and we urge the president and his government to take this further still by ensuring the same provisions and rights currently enjoyed by the Christian community are extended to all religious and belief groups in Egypt, in line with the nation's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."