"This moment is important in the history of Egypt, because two years ago in [Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox] Cathedral in [Cairo's} Abbassia, I told the Pope (Tawadros II) that next year we will celebrate in the new cathedral. We [already] celebrated the first phase and today we celebrate in full," Sisi stated. "We need to be aware that the strife will not end, but [we have to have] vigilance and awareness," Sisi stated, adding that Egypt is building 14 cities and embedding mosques and churches inside them.The committee concerned with legalizing unlicensed churches announced in December legalizing as many as 80 churches and church-affiliated service buildings.Approving licensing the churches came at a meeting headed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Currently, the total number of regularized churches and their affiliated service buildings amounts to 588.Nader Saad, Cabinet spokesman, said in a statement that the committee reviewed the outcome of legalizing the status of unlicensed churches nationwide over the past period.The Cabinet’s decision comes according to 2016's article number 80 in Egypt’s law regarding regulating and building churches. These conditions include meeting the requirements for civil protection within a period of four months, as well as fulfilling all the state's rights regarding the rationing of land on which such buildings are built.The approval may be withdrawn if the buildings do not finish civil protection facilities in four months.

Source: Egypt Today January 09, 2019 13:30 UTC