Cairo (Agenzia Fides) – "No one can justify military intervention in the Middle East under the pretext of defending the Christians. This is now valid in Syria. But even in the dramatic moment experienced by Egypt, the exploitation of those asking the international community to intervene under the guise of protecting the Christians, affected by the sectarian fanaticism must be rejected". This is what was said to Fides Agency by Fr.Hani Bakhoum, secretary of the patriarchate of Alexandria of the Catholic Copts. "As Pope Francis said", continues Father Hani "It will never be an armed intervention to open the path to true peace. War calls war, blood calls blood. Every action of that kind does nothing but worsen the situation".

Even Christians in Egypt are preparing for the day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria proclaimed by Pope Francis for Saturday, September 7. Then, from 20 September to 15 October, the Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak will visit some European countries with the aim to describe in a direct manner to Churches and local political classes the real dynamics of the Egyptian crisis and the criteria followed by the Christians in the convulsive phase experienced by the great North African Country. In his European tour, Patriarch Sidrak will visit Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 02/09/2013)