Christianity in Egypt
Mark preached the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, with Christ as Lord, Redeemer, and Savior, calling on people to repent, return to the living God, worship Him, obey Him, and leave untruths, false gods, to whom they were harboring. The Christian faith spread among the Egyptian community and the number of believers began to increase daily and dramatically. Churches were built in various parts of Egypt, especially the city of Alexandria, which was the place of residence of the Apostle Mark, and established a school of theology to teach the gospel and train leaders of the newly-established church in it, and was also distinguished by its ancient library that included references Ancient theological writing in addition to Bible manuscripts. From Egypt, the message of Christ was sent to the surrounding countries, Kilbia and Sudan, where Christ had a people and a church.
History of Coptic Christianity in Egypt
Christianity is the second-largest religion in Egypt, and its followers constitute about 18% of the Egyptian population. Egyptian Christians are often called Coptic, and more than 95% of Egyptian Christians belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and is the largest Christian community in the Middle East. The Coptic Orthodox Church occupies an important position as an Egyptian national church. It was founded in the first century by Mark the Apostle.
It continued in Egypt after the Islamic conquest of Egypt. The Copts in Egypt developed a distinct ethnic identity, enabling their goals and persecuting them throughout history, as the Coptic suffered from religious persecution in different eras, histories, and the present.
Before the Islamic conquest, most Egyptians condemned Christianity, and a small minority of them were Jews. In 639 A.D., during the reign of Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab, Amr ibn al-Aas led an Islamic army that came from the Levant and was able to defeat the Eastern Romans in Egypt and seize it in 641 AD, and established the city of Fustat and became an Islamic state affiliated with the caliphate and a base for launching Islamic conquests in North Africa.
Among the most prominent archaeological churches in Egypt, which tourists prefer to visit during Greater Cairo top tours, is the Hanging Church, which is considered a Coptic Orthodox Church located in the Misr al-Qadima neighborhood, near the Amr ibn al-As Mosque, Ben Ezra Synagogue, and the St George Church next to the fortress of Babylon.