Fire at Giza church extinguished after man enters with gasoline

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Mid Giza said Thursday it had brought a small fire under control inside the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Birk El-Khiyam area, in a village in Kerdasa district, after a “non-Christian stranger” entered the building at 6 am and set fire to its contents.

In a statement published on its Facebook page, the diocese said the man entered the church under the pretext of praying, carrying a bottle of gasoline hidden inside a bag. He broke the door of a small chapel attached to the main church on the ground floor, then set fire to its curtains and carpets and destroyed the lecterns.

The diocese said the fire was fully extinguished and no casualties were reported. It added that the suspect had been arrested.

Security officials and personnel arrived at the church immediately after the incident to investigate. The relevant authorities are questioning the suspect to establish his motives, according to the statement. The Interior Ministry had issued no statement on the incident by the time of publication.