Egyptians feel demoralized by empty churches, mosques
The decision to suspend collective prayers in mosques and churches was criticized by some Egyptians who feel deprived of spiritual support during hard times.
For 55-year-old Coptic housewife Magda Mounir, knowing she can no longer pray at her local church is worse than all the precautions she has had to endure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Egypt.
“The church is our haven; it is where we go to find moral support,” Mounir told Al-Monitor a few days after Egypt closed all places of worship, including mosques and churches.
The Ministry of Religious Endowments, more often referred to as the Awqaf Ministry, and Egypt's Orthodox Christian Church both released statements March 21 announcing they would temporarily halt communal prayers.
Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, to which the majority of Egypt's Christians belong, said it would lock down churches and suspend masses for at least two weeks.
