"I feel pity for my persecutors."
A survivor of an Islamist bomb blast looks back with forgiveness, 10 years after the attack that killed three of his family members, including his mother.
By Clodagh Gallagher
Kiro Khalil, Coptic Orthodox Christian, who survived a bomb attack in front of a church in Alexandria in 2010. (Credit: Aid To The Church In Need.)
Ten years ago on the 31st December 2010, Coptic Orthodox Christian Kiro Khalil survived a bomb explosion aimed at Christians that killed three members of his family. It was after midnight and his family were among 4,000 Christians leaving the Church of St. Mark and St. Peter in Alexandria after New Years Eve service. At 20 years old, he says his world was “turned upside down” when a car bomb exploded beside the church and killed 24 people. Among the dead were his mother, sister and aunt. Another sister was severely injured and had to be operated on 33 times, but survived. Several hundred other people were also injured in the blast. Instead of yielding to despair, Kiro says his faith in God has enabled him to feel hopeful that “three of [his] family members were chosen to be martyrs.”
In current-day Egypt, Christians are dying for their faith in Jesus Christ. Most Coptic Christians have a cross tattooed on their wrist where Jesus was nailed, in remembrance of His crucifixion and of the 7th century Arab invasion of Egypt, when Christians were branded like cattle. Kiro says that today, Egypt’s extremists live under such severe pressure to conform to their regime that he feels pity for them; “they believe that they must carry out violence against those of different faiths in order to please God. These people have blood on their hands. How can a person live with that burden of guilt? I imagine that they are suffering just as greatly from the after-effects of this attack as I am.”
Coptic Christians with tattoos of Coptic crosses as a testament to their faith in Christ. (Credit: Aid To The Church In Need.)
The persecution of Christians in Egypt is both historical and ongoing, with Christians a constant target of Islamist violence. Christians account for a mere 10 percent of Egypt’s 100 million population, making the country home to the largest Christian population within the boundaries of the modern Arab world. Since 2011 hundreds of Egyptian Copts have been murdered in anti-Christian attacks. In October 2020, a violent sectarian clash was sparked when two Muslim adults beat up a 10 year old Christian child in the village of Dasbous. The violence ended with attacks on local Christian homes. Over the past decade, many Christian homes, churches and businesses have been destroyed by Islamists.
Following the attack, Kiro was similarly subjected to discrimination and death threats. He was forced to flee his Egypt and seek refuge in Germany. When asked whether he has any residual anger towards those who murdered his mother, sister and aunt, he emphasises the importance of loving our neighbour, stating: “Since I was a child I have been the object of hate and discrimination because I am Christian. I was often verbally harassed at school, just because my name is Kiro, which is a traditional Christian name. My mother taught us children to love our fellow human beings no matter what they did to us. “Love thy neighbour as thyself”. My mother implanted this commandment of Jesus deeply within us. After the attack, it helped me tremendously in dealing with my grief.”
A funeral procession for Christian victims of Islamist violence at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt on Sunday, April 7, 2013. (Credit: Aid To The Church In Need.)
Aid To The Church In Need supports the upbuilding of the Catholic faith in Egypt. As priests minister to their flock in such persecution, our pontifical charity supports them with Mass stipends. We are also supporting seminarians in their formation. In Egypt, the Christian faith is very much alive, despite the trials and tribulations they are facing. It is thanks to your generosity that we have been able to help them. May God bless you for your kindness towards your persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. If you would like to donate directly to a priest in a country like Egypt, you may do so through our Mass stipends, available here on our website. 100% of all your generous Mass Offerings are donated to the suffering and persecuted Church. All Holy Masses are celebrated by a priest providing pastoral care in the suffering and persecuted Church. Alternatively, you can more generally support the work of our pontifical charity below, helping us to save lives, save souls and save the faith.