Just over 10 years ago , on 11 November 2011, Christians in Egypt gathered in an extraordinary way to lift up their homeland in an interdenominational night of prayer. A decade on, Egyptian Christians’ ability to gather has been restricted by COVID-19 – until now. Mary Joseph, SAT-7’s Communications Officer in Cairo, tells us more. For the first time in […]
Sunday 10 October marked the tenth anniversary of the martyrdom of 24 Coptic Christians in Egypt in 2011. They were killed during a demonstration by hundreds of Copts against increasing attacks on churches and the lack of any measures by the state to halt them. The peaceful protest outside the Maspero television building was confronted by armoured vehicles that rammed […]
Maged Shafik’s life was once so full of danger and darkness that he was the target of attempted murder three times. Today, he is a well-known worship leader in Egypt, a man of peace and faith. To encourage the many SAT-7 ARABIC viewers, from Lebanon to Yemen, who feel they are at rock bottom, Maged shared his testimony on the […]
Twenty years after 9/11, the shockwaves of the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan are being felt widely. Within the country, those who have benefitted most from increased freedoms, educational and work opportunities, along with those who cooperated with international companies and forces, have had most to fear from the swift Taliban takeover. This includes Afghanistan’s underground Christian community of an estimated […]
As a 20-year war led by US forces against the Taliban draws to an end in Afghanistan, concerns grow for the safety of the civilian population in the light of Taliban advances. Meanwhile, basic needs for water, food and fuel are uppermost in minds in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. Two decades ago, in response to the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaeda, […]
A new landmark series on SAT-7 ARABIC is drawing together women from three generations and six Arab countries to encourage change in male-dominated families and communities. From the start the Egyptian production team for The Secret Within set themselves a twofold challenge. Firstly, to find articulate, open-hearted women from three generations who understand biblical truth and women’s rights, and, secondly, […]
The results of two recent elections – in Iran and Israel – are set to have a major impact on the future of the region. In Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, the head of the country’s judiciary, will become the next president in August. Presidential elections on 18 June saw the lowest turnout since the founding of the Republic in 1979. But […]
Sadly, the Middle East only seems to get the world’s attention when there are heartbreaking events to report. The last week has been no exception. Protests over the threatened evictions of Palestinians in Jerusalem and violence at the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary made for a febrile atmosphere over the Ramadan festival. This escalated with the firing of missiles at Israeli cities […]
The Middle Eastern Christian communities that follow the western calendar came together this Easter to remind themselves of Christ’s victory over death and the coming of God’s kingdom in a broken world. Continuing conflicts and rivalries showed it’s a message that is much needed in the region. Thousands of Christians in Jerusalem processed down the Mount of Olives in the […]
For once, this month global media attention was drawn to the region for positive reasons. The visit of Pope Francis to Iraq shone a light on a community hoping for healing and reconciliation and on the historic presence of Christians in the Middle East. In Iraq, this month saw the first ever visit of a Vatican Pope. Despite security and […]