Catholics in Egypt: Small in numbers; strong in service

Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Luxor says the Catholic Church in Egypt provides significant services in health, education, and culture despite its small population. While the Coptic Orthodox Church is the largest Christian denomination in the country, with an estimated 10 million to 15 million members, the Catholic Coptic Church has approximately 300,000 faithful.

In the Eparchy of Luxor, 37 priests and 70 women religious serve about 25,000 Catholics. Bishop Bishay noted during a visit to the Aid to the Church in Need headquarters in Germany that the Church struggles to provide pastoral care to a population that is growing and becoming more dispersed. This includes people moving to the Red Sea coast for tourism jobs or internal migrants seeking better employment.

Bishop Bishay stated that Catholics work to build relationships with the Muslim majority and the Orthodox community, particularly in Upper Egypt where attitudes can be more rigid. He said the Catholic community plays a role in fostering good relations between different religious groups.