Egypt has licensed 2,526 churches in five years

CAIRO, Egypt — With the Egyptian government’s latest group of approvals, a total of 2,526 churches have received licenses in the last five years.

Obtaining a license for a church prior to that was difficult and many congregations were meeting illegally in unlicensed structures, the relief group Barnabas Fund reported.

On Nov. 14, the government granted licenses to 125 churches; the largest number to be approved so far was 239 in April.

The most recent group is the 24th since 2017, when the government committee in charge of the process began its work.

In 2018, the government agreed to let churches meet in unregistered buildings while their applications were processed, Barnabas Fund reported.

After the Law for Building and Restoring Churches went into effect in 2016 — doing away with restrictions dating to the Ottoman era — 3,730 churches applied for registration. To receive a license churches have to prove they own their land and adhere to certain building and safety regulations.

Egypt is No. 20 on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.