In an act of religious harmony, Muslims in Egypt have donated money towards building a Coptic church in Al Manufiyya, north of Cairo.
Islamic leaders in the region are said to have encouraged Muslims to make contributions towards the cause, according to Fides news agency.
Coptic Orthodox Bishop Benyamin encouraged other communities to come forward and take part in the project, and said Muslims and Christians working together sends out a positive message.
Egypt has been afflicted by sectarian violence in the past but members of both faiths have been making an integrated effort to remain united despite the unrest in the Middle East.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was the first president of the country’s leaders to visit the St Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo on a Christmas eve and attend a Coptic Christian mass.
He said: “It’s important for the world to see this scene, which reflects true Egyptian unity, and to confirm that we’re all Egyptians, first and foremost. We truly love each other without discrimination, because this is the Egyptian truth.”
