A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
|
|
|
| Volume 7 Number 5 - Tuesday, February 1st, 2005 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
|
• Search Engine
The Orthodox Christian Laity
|
The Orthodox Christian News Service |
|||
They were Coptic Christian immigrants from Egypt, and the father, 47-year-old Hossam Armanious, was a regular visitor to internet chat rooms where he talked about his faith, and the persecution Christians in Egypt faced from the Muslim majority. Two months ago, another visitor found Armanious's comments offensive to Islam and said, "If you don't stop this, we're going to come out and kill you," an Armanious family friend said. The New Jersey Star-Ledger is reporting on the religious dimensions of the story. When relatives discovered the four bodies slashed to death, they assumed that the persecution the family had fled in Egypt found them in New Jersey. The Coptic community in New Jersey, for the most part, has not believed the police assurances that a motive has not yet been determined. "It was to make an example of Egyptian Christians, to silence them. It has to be a religious motivation," said Amgad Zakhari, 32, a friend of the family since they arrived in the United States in 1997. During the funeral yesterday, Sheik Tarek Yousof Saleh, who told The New York Times he came to support the community, entered the service. Quickly, people began shouting, telling him to leave. Others called him names and said, "Beat him, take him away." Bishop David, who presides over the Coptic churches in the Northeast and uses only one name told the mourners, "Everyone has to show the teachings of Christ, the love. I would like everyone to sit down and be in peace."
|
|
Home • Archives • Search • Submissions • Support Us |
||
|
Orthodox News, PO BOX 6954 |
