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By Nadia Blétry,special correspondent in Anaphora | Egypt
Following the violent attacks on Coptic Christians in early November, members of the Taizé Community organized an ecumenical gathering near Cairo. Young Christians from various denominations shared their reactions to the attacks with our La Croix correspondent.
In the Coptic retreat center in Anaphora, some 75 kilometers from Cairo, Shaker Wageh, a 34 year-old Catholic, is taking part in the Nov. 22-24 meeting organized by the Taizé Community.
Like many Egyptian Christians -- Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant -- Wageh is deeply concerned. Aggression against Christians had decreased over the past year but the attack on Nov. 2 spread shockwaves throughout the community.
In many ways, it was a repeat of the deadly assault that took place in the same place in May 2017.
On both occasions, gunmen from a local branch of the so-called Islamic State opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims to the St. Samuel Monastery near Minya. The attack has drawn attention to the inadequacy of the region's security forces.
"My first thought was for my family as we all live in the region, around 250 kilometers from Cairo. Nowadays we are afraid whenever we visit Christian sites," said one young man who works for an organization that delivers aid to marginalized groups.
"After the assault, government news channels announced that the army had killed 19 people," he said. "But I don't think this is the best response. They simply want to make it look like the government has taken action in order to calm the situation."
The young man is convinced that responding to violence with violence isn't the way forward.
Instead, he wants to see initiatives aimed at breaking down the barriers between Christian and Muslim communities, tackling their mutual hostility and creating programs and projects that bring people together.
This would be especially welcome in places like Minya, a poor area where sectarian violence is common.
Wageh knows that there is no magic formula to end the violence. Small steps need to be taken to change people's way of thinking.
"In fact, the Egyptian government should show its support for reformist sheikhs who speak out against violence committed against Christians by extremist Muslims," he said.
In the meantime, Wageh is adapting to the new security situation. After the previous attacks, he cancelled going on the trip with handicapped people that he had planned.
Mariam Nasr, a young Orthodox Copt from Alexandria who also came to Anaphora is adamant that she will not change her behavior.
"I have no intention of changing how I go about my daily life for security issues. In reality, we have grown used to attacks now. While I do not think this is acceptable, it has become the norm," she said.
Between December 2016 and December 2017, the Coptic community was the target of a wave of deadly attacks in numerous churches, especially during religious festivals.
The local Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the assaults and announced that they intended to make Egyptian Christians their prime target.
Father Benjamin Iskandar is one of the few individuals to condemn the attacks in light of a Coptic Church hierarchy that has urged its people toe the regime's official line.
But the priest, who serves in Asyut some 300 kilometers south of Cairo, doesn't mince his words. As he sees it, the Egyptian government has unfairly favored Muslim over Christians ever since 1952 when Nasser came to power.
"When there are attacks against our communities, the government pays little attention," said Fr. Iskandar.
He has denounced the inaction of successive governments, which he sees as using religion as a political tool. He has criticized school programs for "their blindness to Egypt's Christian history." The priest said all of this encourages ignorance and intolerance.
"But what is even more harmful is that those who carry out violent attacks on Christians are seldom brought to justice," he added.
Fr. Iskandar believes there is clearly a two-tier justice system in Egypt.
"Extremists benefit from impunity, whereas for Christians, even if we simply want to build toilets in our churches, we're treated like criminals," he added with a laugh. "It might seem like I'm joking, but if you think about it, it's really no laughing matter," he said.
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